Switching valve and assembly method therefor

Abstract

A switching valve and an assembly method therefor. The switching valve comprises a valve seat (100), a piston assembly (200), and an elastic assembly (300). The valve seat has a valve cavity (101), and the valve cavity comprises a first valve cavity (101a) and a second valve cavity (101b) which are in communication with each other; at least part of the piston assembly is movably arranged in the valve cavity, and the piston assembly comprises a piston rod (210), a first piston (220), and a second piston (230); the first piston is connected to the piston rod and moves in the first valve cavity; the second piston is connected to the piston rod and moves in the second valve cavity; the elastic assembly is connected to the piston assembly, and the elastic assembly is located in the first valve cavity and not located in the second valve cavity and is used for enabling the piston assembly to be in a balanced state, wherein the balanced state refers to a state in which the piston assembly remains stationary relative to the valve seat in the absence of fluid impact.

Description

Switching valve and its assembly method

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Publication No. 202510107356.3, filed on January 22, 2025, entitled "Switching Valve", and Chinese Patent Publication No. 202510961507.1, filed on July 11, 2025, entitled "Switching Valve and Assembly Method Thereof", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of valve technology, and more specifically, to a switching valve and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0004] The switching valve includes a valve seat, a piston assembly, and two springs. The piston assembly includes a piston rod and two pistons. The valve seat contains a valve chamber, which includes a first chamber for mounting one piston and a second chamber for mounting the other piston. One spring is located in the first chamber, and the other spring is located in the second chamber. Driven by fluid pressure, the piston assembly moves within the valve chamber of the valve seat, thereby switching the flow path. The two springs provide elastic force to the piston assembly, allowing the switching valve to quickly return to an equilibrium state after being impacted by fluid, thus enabling switching between different operating conditions.

[0005] The installation process of the mechanical switching valve in the related technology is as follows: first, the piston rod is assembled with one of the pistons, then two springs are assembled, and finally the other piston is connected to the piston rod. However, when assembling the other piston with the piston rod, the other piston will be subjected to the force of the two springs, which makes the assembly of the piston inconvenient and affects the assembly efficiency.

[0006] Public content

[0007] This disclosure provides a switching valve and its assembly method to solve the problem of inconvenient assembly of switching valves in related technologies.

[0008] The switching valve of this disclosure embodiment includes:

[0009] A valve seat having a valve cavity, the valve cavity including a first valve cavity and a second valve cavity that are in communication with each other;

[0010] A piston assembly, at least a portion of which is movably disposed within the valve chamber, the piston assembly including a piston rod, a first piston, and a second piston; the first piston is connected to the piston rod and moves within the first valve chamber; the second piston is connected to the piston rod and moves within the second valve chamber; and

[0011] An elastic component, connected to the piston assembly, is located within the first valve chamber but not within the second valve chamber, for maintaining the piston assembly in a balanced state; wherein, the balanced state means that, in the absence of fluid impact, the piston assembly remains stationary relative to the valve seat.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the elastic component includes two elastic elements, both of which are connected to the piston assembly and located in the first valve chamber.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, when the piston assembly is in the equilibrium state, each of the elastic elements is located between the piston assembly and the valve seat; each of the elastic elements is in its original length state or compressed state, and the elastic forces provided to the piston assembly by two elastic elements that are both in the compressed state are in opposite directions.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, one of the two elastic elements is defined as a first elastic element;

[0015] The piston assembly has a first limiting groove, and at least a portion of the first elastic element is located within the first limiting groove.

[0016] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the groove wall of the first limiting groove has a first interference fit portion, and the first elastic member is interference-fitted with the first interference fit portion.

[0017] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the inner wall surface of the valve cavity has a second valve port, and the second piston is used to open or block the second valve port; when the second valve port is in the open state, there is a gap between the top of the first elastic member and the valve seat.

[0018] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the plug rod has a guide section, the first limiting groove is disposed at the end of the guide section, and the two ends of the first elastic member abut against the bottom wall of the first limiting groove and the valve seat, respectively.

[0019] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the other of the two elastic elements is defined as a second elastic element;

[0020] The piston assembly has a second limiting groove, and at least a portion of the second elastic element is located within the second limiting groove.

[0021] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the inner wall surface of the valve cavity is provided with a partition, and the two sides of the partition are the first valve cavity and the second valve cavity, respectively;

[0022] The first piston is sleeved on the outer peripheral side of the piston rod, and the first piston and the piston rod form the second limiting groove. The opening of the second limiting groove faces the partition. The second elastic member is sleeved on the outer periphery of the part of the piston rod surrounded by the second limiting groove. The two ends of the second elastic member abut against the bottom wall of the second limiting groove and the valve seat, respectively.

[0023] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the groove wall of the second limiting groove has a second interference fit portion, and the second elastic member is interference fitted with the second interference fit portion.

[0024] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the inner wall surface of the valve cavity is provided with a partition, and the two sides of the partition are the first valve cavity and the second valve cavity, respectively;

[0025] The inner wall of the valve chamber has a first valve port, and the first piston is used to open or block the first valve port; when the first valve port is open, there is a gap between the bottom of the second elastic member and the partition.

[0026] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the valve seat has a guide groove, the piston assembly has a guide section, the guide section is disposed in the guide groove, and the outer peripheral side of the guide section guides and engages with the groove sidewall of the guide groove.

[0027] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the elastic component includes two elastic members, both of which are connected to the piston assembly, and the guide segment has a first limiting groove for receiving one of the elastic members.

[0028] The guide groove has at least one air guide groove on its sidewall and the outer peripheral side of the guide section, and the air guide groove is connected to the first limiting groove and the first valve cavity respectively.

[0029] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the inner wall surface of the first valve chamber has a first valve port, the inner wall surface of the second valve chamber has a second valve port, the first piston has a first sealing element for opening or blocking the first valve port, and the second piston has a second sealing element for opening or blocking the second valve port.

[0030] The inner wall of the valve chamber is provided with a partition, and the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber are respectively on both sides of the partition. The partition has a first stop surface and a second stop surface on both sides along the axial direction of the piston rod.

[0031] When the first seal of the first piston blocks the first valve port, the first piston contacts the first stop surface; when the second seal of the second piston blocks the second valve port, the second piston contacts the second stop surface.

[0032] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the partition has a guide hole, the piston rod is movably inserted into the guide hole, and is guided and engaged with the hole wall of the guide hole.

[0033] According to some embodiments of this disclosure, when the piston assembly is in a balanced state, the two elastic elements have equal lengths along the valve axis.

[0034] One embodiment disclosed above has at least the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0035] In this embodiment of the switching valve, the first piston and the second piston are located in the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber, respectively, and the elastic component is located in the first valve chamber but not in the second valve chamber. This ensures that during valve assembly, the later-assembled piston is not directly subjected to the reaction force provided by the elastic component, facilitating its placement on the piston rod. Furthermore, since the later-assembled piston is not directly subjected to the reaction force of the elastic component, its position relative to the piston rod is easier to determine, eliminating the need for additional guide fixtures and reducing assembly difficulty. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0037] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the switching valve according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0038] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram obtained after cutting along section line AA in Figure 1.

[0039] Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the piston assembly in Figure 2 when it is in a balanced state.

[0040] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the switching valve according to the second embodiment of this disclosure.

[0041] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram obtained after cutting along the BB section line in Figure 4.

[0042] Figure 6 shows a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the piston rod and the first piston in Figure 4 after they are connected.

[0043] Figure 7 shows a top view of the valve seat of the switching valve in the first embodiment of the present disclosure being inserted into the slot of the mounting base.

[0044] Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram obtained after cutting along the CC section line in Figure 7.

[0045] The reference numerals in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0046] 100. Valve seat; 101. Valve chamber; 101a. First valve chamber; 101b. Second valve chamber; 102. First valve port; 103. Second valve port; 110. Separator; 111. First stop surface; 112. Second stop surface; 113. Guide hole; 120. Guide groove; 130. First valve body; 140. Second valve body; 151. First opening; 152. Second opening; 153. Third opening;

[0047] 200, Piston assembly; 210, Piston rod; 211, Third limiting part; 220, First piston; 221, First seal; 222, First inclined surface; 230, Second piston; 231, Second seal; 232, Second inclined surface; 240, First limiting groove; 241, First interference fit part; 250, Second limiting groove; 251, Second interference fit part; 260, Guide section; 261, Air guide groove;

[0048] 300, elastic component; 310, elastic element; 310a, first elastic element; 310b, second elastic element;

[0049] 400, Mounting base; 410, Slot; 411, First limiting part; 412, Second limiting part. Detailed Implementation

[0050] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and therefore their detailed description will be omitted.

[0051] It is understood that the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in the embodiments of this disclosure, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the steps or units listed, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or components inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0052] [First Embodiment]

[0053] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the switching valve of this embodiment includes a valve seat 100, a piston assembly 200, and an elastic component 300. The valve seat 100 includes a valve cavity 101 having a valve port. At least a portion of the piston assembly 200 is movably disposed within the valve cavity 101 for blocking or opening the valve port. The elastic component 300 is connected to the piston assembly 200 for maintaining the piston assembly 200 in a balanced state; wherein, the balanced state means that, in the absence of fluid impact, the piston assembly 200 remains stationary relative to the valve seat 100.

[0054] The valve port includes a first valve port 102 and a second valve port 103. The valve seat 100 also has a first opening 151, a second opening 152, and a third opening 153, all of which communicate with the valve cavity 101. Along the axial direction of the switching valve (i.e., the direction of movement of the piston assembly 200), the first opening 151, the second opening 152, and the third opening 153 are arranged sequentially, with the first valve port 102 located between the first opening 151 and the second opening 152, and the second valve port 103 located between the second opening 152 and the third opening 153.

[0055] When the piston assembly 200 blocks the first valve port 102, the second valve port 103 is in the open state, and the second opening 152 is connected to the third opening 153 through the second valve port 103; when the piston assembly 200 blocks the second valve port 103, the first valve port 102 is in the open state, and the first opening 151 is connected to the second opening 152 through the first valve port 102.

[0056] In one embodiment, the valve seat 100 includes a first valve body 130 and a second valve body 140. The first valve body 130 is connected to the second valve body 140 and forms a valve cavity 101. In this embodiment, the first valve body 130 is a cylindrical structure with openings at both ends. A first valve port 102 and a second valve port 103 are formed on the first valve body 130. A second opening 152 and a third opening 153 are formed on the first valve body 130. For example, the second opening 152 is formed on the side wall of the cylindrical structure, one end of the cylindrical structure is the third opening 153, and the second valve body 140 covers the other end opening of the cylindrical structure. A first opening 151 is formed on the second valve body 140.

[0057] In one embodiment, the first valve body 130 and the second valve body 140 are both made of metal material, and the first valve body 130 and the second valve body 140 are fixedly connected by interference fit to form a valve cavity 101.

[0058] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the first valve body 130 and the second valve body 140 are fixedly connected by interference fit instead of welding, which reduces the assembly difficulty of the first valve body 130 and the second valve body 140 and improves the assembly effect.

[0059] Furthermore, the first valve body 130 and the second valve body 140 can be made of aluminum alloy, which significantly reduces the weight of the valve seat.

[0060] As shown in Figure 2, the piston assembly 200 includes a piston rod 210, a first piston 220, and a second piston 230. Both the first piston 220 and the second piston 230 are connected to the piston rod 210. The first piston 220 is used to block or open the first valve port 102, and the second piston 230 is used to block or open the second valve port 103. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, when the first piston 220 blocks the first valve port 102, the second piston 230 opens the second valve port 103; when the second piston 230 blocks the second valve port 103, the first piston 220 opens the first valve port 102.

[0061] In one embodiment, the piston rod 210 and the first piston 220 can be separate structures, with the piston rod 210 and the first piston 220 fixedly connected; or, the piston rod 210 and the first piston 220 can be an integral structure.

[0062] The inner wall of valve chamber 101 is provided with a partition 110, which divides valve chamber 101 into a first valve chamber 101a and a second valve chamber 101b. The inner wall of the first valve chamber 101a has a first valve port 102, and the inner wall of the second valve chamber 101b has a second valve port 103. In this embodiment, the partition 110 is formed on the inner wall of the first valve body 130. The piston rod 210 is guided and engaged with the partition 110. The first piston 220 is located on one side of the partition 110 along the axial direction of the piston rod 210, that is, the first piston 220 moves within the first valve chamber 101a. The second piston 230 is located on the other side of the partition 110 along the axial direction of the piston rod 210, that is, the second piston 230 moves within the second valve chamber 101b. The elastic component 300 is located on one side of the partition 110 along the axial direction of the piston rod 210, that is, the elastic component 300 and the first piston 220 are located on the same side of the partition 110, or the elastic component 300 and the second piston 230 are located on the same side of the partition 110. In the embodiment of this disclosure, the elastic component 300 and the first piston 220 are located in the first valve chamber 101a, while the elastic component 300 is not located in the second valve chamber 101b.

[0063] When assembling the switching valve, the first piston 220 and piston rod 210 can be assembled first, followed by the elastic component 300, and then the valve seat 100. At this point, the elastic component 300 and the first piston 220 are located on the same side of the partition 110. Finally, the second piston 230 is assembled. Since the second piston 230 and the elastic component 300 are located on opposite sides of the partition 110, when the second piston 230 is mounted on the piston rod 210, the second piston 230 is not directly subjected to the reaction force provided by the elastic component 300, making it easier to mount the second piston 230 on the piston rod 210. In addition, since the second piston 230 is not subjected to the reaction force of the elastic component 300, the position of the second piston 230 relative to the piston rod 210 is easier to control during installation, eliminating the need for additional guide fixtures and reducing assembly difficulty.

[0064] Therefore, in the switching valve of this embodiment, the first piston 220 and the second piston 230 are located in the first valve chamber 101a and the second valve chamber 101b, respectively, and the elastic component 300 is located in the first valve chamber 101a but not in the second valve chamber 101b. This ensures that during valve assembly, the later-assembled piston is not directly subjected to the reaction force provided by the elastic component 300, facilitating its placement on the piston rod 210. Furthermore, since the later-assembled piston is not subjected to the reaction force of the elastic component 300, its position relative to the piston rod 210 is easier to control, eliminating the need for additional guide fixtures and reducing assembly difficulty.

[0065] The elastic assembly 300 includes two elastic elements, both of which are connected to the piston assembly 200 and located on the same side of the partition 110 along the axial direction of the piston rod 210. For ease of explanation, the two elastic elements are defined as the first elastic element 310a and the second elastic element 310b, respectively.

[0066] When assembling the switching valve, first assemble the first piston 220 and piston rod 210, then assemble the first elastic element 310a and the second elastic element 310b. Next, install the assembled components into the valve seat 100, ensuring the piston rod 210 is properly guided to engage with the partition 110. Finally, assemble the second piston 230. During the assembly of the second piston 230 and piston rod 210, the second piston 230 is not directly subjected to the elastic force provided by the second elastic element 310b, thus making the installation of the second piston 230 more convenient.

[0067] It should be noted that when assembling the second piston 230 and the piston rod 210, although the piston rod 210 will be subjected to the reaction force of the first elastic element 310a, the piston rod 210 is guided and engaged with the partition 110. Therefore, when assembling the second piston 230, the movement direction of the piston rod 210 is limited to the axial direction of the piston rod 210 and will not be deflected, thus not affecting the installation position of the second piston 230 relative to the piston rod 210.

[0068] In one embodiment, the first elastic element 310a and the second elastic element 310b are springs or other components that can provide elastic force under pressure, such as rubber components.

[0069] In one embodiment, when the piston assembly 200 is in a balanced state, the length of the first elastic member 310a along the valve axis is equal to the length of the second elastic member 310b along the valve axis.

[0070] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, a first elastic member 310a is connected to the second valve body 140 and the piston rod 210, and is used to provide a first elastic force to the piston assembly 200 to move in the direction of blocking the first valve port 102. A second elastic member 310b is connected to the piston assembly 200 and the partition 110, and is used to provide a second elastic force to the piston assembly 200 to move in the direction of blocking the second valve port 103. The first elastic force provided by the first elastic member 310a to the piston assembly 200 and the second elastic force provided by the second elastic member 310b to the piston assembly 200 are in opposite directions.

[0071] In one embodiment, the partition 110 has a guide hole 113 that extends through the partition 110 along the axial direction of the piston rod 210. The piston rod 210 is movably disposed within the guide hole 113 and is guided and engaged with the wall of the guide hole 113.

[0072] As shown in Figure 2, one end of the first elastic element 310a and one end of the second elastic element 310b are both fixedly connected to the piston assembly 200.

[0073] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, one end of the first elastic member 310a is fixedly connected to the piston assembly 200, which can prevent the first elastic member 310a from generating noise due to surging when the piston assembly 200 blocks the first valve port 102 and opens the second valve port 103. One end of the second elastic member 310b is fixedly connected to the piston assembly 200, which can prevent the second elastic member 310b from generating noise due to surging when the piston assembly 200 blocks the second valve port 103 and opens the first valve port 102.

[0074] In one embodiment, the piston assembly 200 has a first limiting groove 240 and a second limiting groove 250, at least a portion of the first elastic member 310a is limited within the first limiting groove 240, and at least a portion of the second elastic member 310b is limited within the second limiting groove 250.

[0075] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, since at least a portion of the first elastic member 310a is confined within the first limiting groove 240 and at least a portion of the second elastic member 310b is confined within the second limiting groove 250, the axial dimension of the switching valve is reduced, which is beneficial for product miniaturization design.

[0076] In one embodiment, the piston rod 210 has a first limiting groove 240, the groove wall of which has a first interference fit portion 241, and the first elastic member 310a is interference-fitted with the first interference fit portion 241. Of course, in other embodiments, the first elastic member 310a can also be fixedly connected to the piston rod 210 by means of snap-fit, riveting, welding, etc., and this disclosure does not make any particular limitation in this regard.

[0077] In one embodiment, a first piston 220 is sleeved on the outer peripheral side of a piston rod 210, and the first piston 220 and the piston rod 210 form a second limiting groove 250, the opening of which faces the partition portion 110. A second elastic member 310b is sleeved on the outer periphery of the portion of the piston rod 210 surrounded by the second limiting groove 250 and is fixedly connected to the piston rod 210. Both ends of the second elastic member 310b abut against the bottom wall of the second limiting groove 250 and the partition portion 110, respectively.

[0078] In one embodiment, the groove wall of the second limiting groove 250 has a second interference fit portion 251, and the second elastic member 310b is interference fitted with the second interference fit portion 251.

[0079] Of course, in other embodiments, the second limiting groove 250 may also be formed on the piston rod 210, or the second limiting groove 250 may be formed on the first piston 220.

[0080] In one embodiment, when the second valve port 103 is in the open state, there is a gap between the top of the first elastic member 310a and the second valve body 140.

[0081] In one embodiment, when the first valve port 102 is in the open state, there is a gap between the bottom of the second elastic member 310b and the partition portion 110.

[0082] As shown in Figure 2, the second valve body 140 of the valve seat 100 has a guide groove 120, and the piston rod 210 has a guide section 260. The guide section 260 is located in the guide groove 120, and the outer peripheral side of the guide section 260 is guided and engaged with the groove side wall of the guide groove 120.

[0083] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the guide section 260 and the guide groove 120 are guided and cooperated to ensure the accuracy of the movement trajectory of the piston assembly 200, avoid the piston assembly 200 from deflecting, and ensure the sealing of the first piston 220 blocking the first valve port 102 and the second piston 230 blocking the second valve port 103.

[0084] In one embodiment, a first limiting groove 240 is formed in the guide section 260 of the piston rod 210, and the first limiting groove 240 is disposed at the end of the guide section 260. The two ends of the first elastic member 310a abut against the bottom wall of the first limiting groove 240 and the bottom wall of the guide groove 120, respectively.

[0085] There is a small gap between the outer peripheral side of the guide section 260 and the side wall of the guide groove 120. When the piston assembly 200 reciprocates, the fluid cannot quickly pass through the gap to generate a certain pressure difference. Thus, the gap can buffer the piston assembly 200 and prevent excessive impact noise from being generated when the piston assembly 200 switches.

[0086] As shown in Figure 2, the partition 110 has a first stop surface 111 and a second stop surface 112 on both sides along the axial direction of the piston rod 210; the first piston 220 has a first sealing element 221 for sealing the first valve port 102, and the second piston 230 has a second sealing element 231 for sealing the second valve port 103. When the first piston 220 blocks the first valve port 102, the first piston 220 contacts the first stop surface 111; when the second piston 230 blocks the second valve port 103, the second piston 230 contacts the second stop surface 112.

[0087] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, when the first piston 220 blocks the first valve port 102, the first stop surface 111 can stop the first piston 220, preventing the first piston 220 from excessively compressing the first seal 221 and causing the first seal 221 to be damaged or fail. Similarly, when the second piston 230 blocks the second valve port 103, the second stop surface 112 can stop the second piston 230, preventing the second piston 230 from excessively compressing the second seal 231 and causing the second seal 231 to be damaged or fail.

[0088] As shown in Figure 3, when the piston assembly 200 is in a balanced state, each elastic element is limited to the position between the piston assembly 200 and the valve seat 100. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, when the piston assembly 200 is in a balanced state, the first elastic element 310a is limited to the position between the second valve body 140 and the piston rod 210, and the second elastic element 310b is limited to the position between the piston rod 210 and the partition 110.

[0089] In this embodiment, both elastic members are positioned between the piston assembly 200 and the valve seat 100. In other words, both elastic members simultaneously axially limit the piston assembly 200. This prevents the piston assembly 200 from shifting due to loosening of at least one of the elastic members, thereby avoiding noise caused by the piston assembly 200. Furthermore, the two elastic members ensure that the piston assembly 200 remains in a balanced state, preventing it from shifting to other positions due to the movement of the entire switching valve.

[0090] As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment of the present disclosure, one end of the first elastic member 310a contacts the bottom surface of the guide groove 120, and the other end is in interference fit with the first interference fit portion 241 of the first limiting groove 240. One end of the second elastic member 310b contacts the partition portion 110, and the other end is confined within the second limiting groove 250.

[0091] In one embodiment, when the piston assembly 200 is in a balanced state, each elastic element is in its original length state or compressed state.

[0092] When the elastic element is in a compressed state, the compression amount of the elastic element is C, where C≤5mm, for example, C is 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, or 5mm.

[0093] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, when the piston assembly 200 is in a balanced state, each elastic element is in a compressed state, and the compression amount C of the elastic element is ≤ 5mm, that is, the elastic element is in a slightly compressed state. In other words, when the piston assembly 200 is in a balanced state, each elastic element is in a slightly compressed state, which avoids affecting the service life of the elastic element due to excessive compression.

[0094] In one embodiment, the first piston 220 and the piston rod 210 can be connected by welding, and the second piston 230 and the piston rod 210 can be connected by interference fit, but this is not a limitation.

[0095] As shown in Figure 3, the outer periphery of the first piston 220 has a first inclined surface 222 for engaging with the first valve port 102, the first inclined surface 222 extending away from the piston rod 210 and the partition 110. The outer periphery of the second piston 230 has a second inclined surface 232 for engaging with the second valve port 103, the second inclined surface 232 extending away from the piston rod 210 and the partition 110. The first inclined surface 222 and the second inclined surface 232 can reduce the resistance to fluid flow.

[0096] In one embodiment, the first inclined surface 222 and the second inclined surface 232 are both external conical surfaces, but this is not a limitation.

[0097] As shown in Figure 3, the piston rod 210 has a third limiting part 211, and the second piston 230 abuts against the third limiting part 211.

[0098] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, during the assembly of the second piston 230 and the piston rod 210, the third limiting part 211 plays a limiting role on the second piston 230. When the third limiting part 211 abuts against the second piston 230, it indicates that the second piston 230 has been installed in place relative to the piston rod 210, thus avoiding the rebound force of the second elastic member 310b due to the second piston 230 being installed on the piston rod 210 too close to the first piston 220, and ensuring the ease of assembly of the second piston 230.

[0099] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the switching valve also includes a mounting base 400 having a slot 410, into which at least a portion of the valve seat 100 is inserted.

[0100] In one embodiment, the inner wall of the slot 410 has a first limiting portion 411 and a second limiting portion 412, the first valve body 130 abuts against the first limiting portion 411, and the second valve body 140 abuts against the second limiting portion 412.

[0101] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the first limiting part 411 abuts against the first valve body 130, and the second limiting part 412 abuts against the second valve body 140, which can prevent the valve seat 100 from moving downward along the valve axis and ensure the stability between the valve body 100 and the mounting base 400.

[0102] [Second Embodiment]

[0103] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the similarities between the switching valve of the second embodiment and the switching valve of the first embodiment of this disclosure will not be repeated here. The differences are as follows:

[0104] The guide groove 120 has at least one air guide groove 261 on its groove sidewall and the outer peripheral side of the guide section 260. The air guide groove 261 is connected to the first limiting groove 240 and the valve cavity 101, respectively.

[0105] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, an air guide groove 261 is provided between the guide section 260 and the second valve body 140. The air guide groove 261 is connected to the first limiting groove 240 and the first valve chamber 101a respectively. When the piston assembly 200 is switched, the fluid can quickly flow into and out of the first limiting groove 240, thereby reducing the fluid resistance when the piston assembly 200 is switched.

[0106] In one embodiment, the first piston 220 and the piston rod 210 can be connected by injection molding. For example, the first piston 220 is made of plastic material, and the piston rod 210 is made of metal material, with the piston rod 210 as a metal insert, and the first piston 220 is integrally injection molded to one end of the piston rod 210. The first piston 220 has a guide section 260, and a first limiting groove 240 is formed on the guide section 260.

[0107] In one embodiment, the first opening 151, the second opening 152 and the third opening 153 are all formed on the first valve body 130.

[0108] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the first valve body 130 may be made of plastic material and formed by injection molding, but is not limited thereto.

[0109] In one embodiment, the first valve body 130 is made of plastic and the second valve body 140 is made of metal. The first valve body 130 and the second valve body 140 are fixedly connected by riveting to form a valve cavity 101.

[0110] Furthermore, the second valve body 140 can be made of aluminum alloy.

[0111] Of course, in other embodiments, both the first valve body 130 and the second valve body 140 are made of plastic and are connected by snap-fit.

[0112] In another aspect of this disclosure, a method for assembling a switching valve is provided. The switching valve includes a valve seat 100, a piston assembly, and an elastic assembly 300. The valve seat 100 includes a first valve chamber 101a and a second valve chamber 101b that are in communication with each other. The valve seat 100 also includes a first valve body 130, which encloses a portion of the first valve chamber 101a and the second valve chamber 101b. The piston assembly includes a piston rod 210, a first piston 220, and a second piston 230. The elastic assembly 300 includes a second elastic element 310b. The method for assembling the switching valve includes:

[0113] Assemble a pre-assembled component, which includes a first piston 220 and a piston rod 210 that are fixedly connected; the piston rod 210 and the first piston 220 can be separate structures; or, the piston rod 210 and the first piston 220 can be an integral structure.

[0114] Assemble the first valve body 130, the second elastic element 310b, and the second piston 230. Then, sequentially sleeve the second elastic element 310b, the first valve body 130, and the second piston 230 on the outside of the piston rod 210, so that the second piston 230 is fixedly connected to the piston rod 210.

[0115] During the process of the second piston 230 being fixedly connected to the piston rod 210, the distance between the second piston 230 and the first valve body 130 along the axial direction of the switching valve is always greater than zero.

[0116] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, during the assembly of the switching valve, since the distance between the second piston 230 and the first valve body 130 along the axial direction of the switching valve is always greater than zero during the fixed connection process between the second piston 230 and the piston rod 210, the second piston 230 assembled later does not contact the first valve body 130. Consequently, the second piston 230 will not squeeze the first valve body 130 and be subjected to the rebound force of the second elastic element 310b. Thus, the process between the second piston 230 and the piston rod 210 is smoother. In addition, since the second piston 230 is not subjected to the rebound force of the second elastic element 310b, the position of the second piston 230 assembled later relative to the piston rod 210 is easier to determine, eliminating the need for additional guide fixtures and reducing the assembly difficulty.

[0117] The pre-assembled component, including the first piston 220 and piston rod 210, can be connected in either the manner described in the first embodiment of this disclosure or in the manner described in the second embodiment of this disclosure. Specifically: in the first embodiment of this disclosure, the first piston 220 and piston rod 210 can be fixed by welding, thus ensuring the sealing between the first piston 220 and piston rod 210; in the second embodiment of this disclosure, the first piston 220 and piston rod 210 are connected by injection molding. For example, the first piston 220 is made of plastic material, and the piston rod 210 is made of metal material, with the piston rod 210 as a metal insert, and the first piston 220 is integrally injection molded to one end of the piston rod 210.

[0118] In one embodiment, the valve seat 100 further includes a second valve body 140, and the elastic component 300 further includes a first elastic element 310a. The assembly method further includes:

[0119] Assemble the first elastic element 310a with the pre-assembled part, so that the first elastic element 310a is clamped between the pre-assembled part and the second valve body;

[0120] Assemble the second valve body 140 and the first valve body 130 to fix the first valve body 130 and the second valve body 140 together, and the first elastic element 310a is located in the first valve cavity 101a.

[0121] In one embodiment, the switching valve further includes a mounting base 400, the mounting base 400 having a slot 410, the inner sidewall of the slot 410 having a first limiting portion 411 and a second limiting portion 412; the assembly method further includes:

[0122] At least a portion of the valve seat 100 is inserted into the slot 410 until the first valve body 130 abuts against the first limiting portion 411 and the second valve body 140 abuts against the second limiting portion 412.

[0123] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the first limiting part 411 abuts against the first valve body 130, and the second limiting part 412 abuts against the second valve body 140, which can prevent the valve seat 100 from moving downward along the valve axis and ensure the stability between the valve body and the mounting base 400.

[0124] In one embodiment, a partition 110 is provided inside the first valve body 130, with a first valve chamber 101a and a second valve chamber 101b on both sides of the partition 110. The partition 110 has a through guide hole 113, which communicates with the first valve chamber 101a and the second valve chamber 101b respectively. Assembling the first valve body 130, the second elastic element 310b, and the second piston includes:

[0125] The piston rod 210 is passed through the guide hole 113 from the side where the first valve chamber 101a is located, and a portion of the piston rod 210 is inserted into the second valve chamber 101b.

[0126] In one embodiment, the piston rod 210 has a third limiting portion 211; assembling the second piston 230 and the piston rod 210 includes:

[0127] Along the axial direction of the piston rod 210, the second piston 230 is mounted on the piston rod 210 from the end of the piston rod 210 away from the first piston 220 in a direction close to the first piston 220, until the second piston 230 abuts against the third limiting part 211.

[0128] In this embodiment of the present disclosure, during the assembly of the second piston 230 and the piston rod 210, the third limiting part 211 plays a limiting role on the second piston 230. When the third limiting part 211 abuts against the second piston 230, it indicates that the second piston 230 has been installed in place relative to the piston rod 210, thus avoiding the rebound force of the second elastic member 310b due to the second piston 230 being installed on the piston rod 210 too close to the first piston 220, and ensuring the ease of assembly of the second piston 230.

[0129] In summary, the switching valve and its assembly method according to the embodiments of this disclosure have at least the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0130] In this embodiment of the switching valve and its assembly method, the first piston 220 and the second piston 230 are respectively located on both sides of the partition 110 along the axial direction of the piston rod 210, and the elastic component 300 is located on one side of the partition 110 along the axial direction of the piston rod 210. That is, the elastic component 300 and one of the first piston 220 and the second piston 230 are located on the same side of the partition 110. In this way, when assembling the switching valve, the piston assembled later is not directly subjected to the reaction force provided by the elastic component 300, which facilitates the placement of the piston assembled later on the piston rod 210. In addition, since the piston assembled later is not subjected to the reaction force of the elastic component 300, the position of the piston assembled later relative to the piston rod 210 is easier to control, eliminating the need for additional guide fixtures and reducing the assembly difficulty.

[0131] It is understood that the various embodiments / implementations provided in this disclosure can be combined with each other without creating contradictions, and will not be described in detail here.

[0132] In the disclosed embodiments, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance; the term "multiple" refers to two or more unless otherwise expressly defined. The terms "install," "connect," "link," and "fix" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "connect" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; "link" can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the disclosed embodiments according to the specific circumstances.

[0133] In the description of the disclosed embodiments, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the disclosed embodiments and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or unit referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the disclosed embodiments.

[0134] In the description of this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "specific embodiment," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the disclosed embodiments. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0135] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the disclosed embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments. For those skilled in the art, the disclosed embodiments can have various modifications and variations. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the disclosed embodiments should be included within the protection scope of the disclosed embodiments.

Claims

1. A switching valve, characterized in that, include: A valve seat having a valve cavity, the valve cavity including a first valve cavity and a second valve cavity that are in communication with each other; A piston assembly, at least a portion of which is movably disposed within the valve chamber, the piston assembly including a piston rod, a first piston, and a second piston; the first piston is connected to the piston rod and moves within the first valve chamber; the second piston is connected to the piston rod and moves within the second valve chamber. as well as An elastic component, connected to the piston assembly, is located within the first valve chamber but not within the second valve chamber, for maintaining the piston assembly in a balanced state; wherein, the balanced state means that, in the absence of fluid impact, the piston assembly remains stationary relative to the valve seat.

2. The switching valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic component includes two elastic elements, both of which are connected to the piston assembly and located in the first valve chamber.

3. The switching valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the piston assembly is in the equilibrium state, each of the elastic elements is located between the piston assembly and the valve seat; each of the elastic elements is in its original length state or compressed state, and the elastic forces provided to the piston assembly by two elastic elements that are both in the compressed state are in opposite directions.

4. The switching valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, One of the two elastic elements is defined as the first elastic element; The piston assembly has a first limiting groove, and at least a portion of the first elastic element is located within the first limiting groove.

5. The switching valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first limiting groove has a first interference fit portion on its groove wall, and the first elastic member is interference fitted with the first interference fit portion.

6. The switching valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The inner wall of the valve chamber has a second valve port, and the second piston is used to open or block the second valve port; when the second valve port is in the open state, there is a gap between the top of the first elastic element and the valve seat.

7. The switching valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The stopper rod has a guide section, the first limiting groove is disposed at the end of the guide section, and the two ends of the first elastic member abut against the bottom wall of the first limiting groove and the valve seat, respectively.

8. The switching valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The other of the two elastic elements is defined as the second elastic element; The piston assembly has a second limiting groove, and at least a portion of the second elastic element is located within the second limiting groove.

9. The switching valve according to claim 8, characterized in that, The inner wall of the valve cavity is provided with a partition, and the first valve cavity and the second valve cavity are respectively on both sides of the partition; The first piston is sleeved on the outer peripheral side of the piston rod, and the first piston and the piston rod form the second limiting groove. The opening of the second limiting groove faces the partition. The second elastic member is sleeved on the outer periphery of the part of the piston rod surrounded by the second limiting groove. The two ends of the second elastic member abut against the bottom wall of the second limiting groove and the valve seat, respectively.

10. The switching valve according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second limiting groove has a second interference fit portion on its groove wall, and the second elastic member is interference fit with the second interference fit portion.

11. The switching valve according to claim 8, characterized in that, The inner wall of the valve cavity is provided with a partition, and the first valve cavity and the second valve cavity are respectively on both sides of the partition; The inner wall of the valve chamber has a first valve port, and the first piston is used to open or block the first valve port; when the first valve port is open, there is a gap between the bottom of the second elastic member and the partition.

12. The switching valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve seat has a guide groove, and the piston assembly has a guide section. The guide section is disposed in the guide groove, and the outer peripheral side of the guide section is guided and engaged with the groove sidewall of the guide groove.

13. The switching valve according to claim 12, characterized in that, The elastic component includes two elastic elements, both of which are connected to the piston assembly, and the guide section has a first limiting groove for receiving one of the elastic elements; The guide groove has at least one air guide groove on its sidewall and the outer peripheral side of the guide section, and the air guide groove is connected to the first limiting groove and the first valve cavity respectively.

14. The switching valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the first valve chamber has a first valve port, the inner wall of the second valve chamber has a second valve port, the first piston has a first sealing element for opening or sealing the first valve port, and the second piston has a second sealing element for opening or sealing the second valve port. The inner wall of the valve chamber is provided with a partition, and the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber are respectively on both sides of the partition. The partition has a first stop surface and a second stop surface on both sides along the axial direction of the piston rod. When the first seal of the first piston blocks the first valve port, the first piston contacts the first stop surface; when the second seal of the second piston blocks the second valve port, the second piston contacts the second stop surface.

15. The switching valve according to claim 14, characterized in that, The partition has a guide hole, and the piston rod is movably inserted into the guide hole and guided and engaged with the hole wall of the guide hole.

16. The switching valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the piston assembly is in a balanced state, the two elastic elements have equal lengths along the valve axis.

17. The switching valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve seat includes a first valve body and a second valve body made of metal material, which are fixedly connected by interference fit to form the valve cavity.

18. The switching valve according to claim 17, characterized in that, The first valve body and the second valve body are made of aluminum alloy.

19. The switching valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve seat includes a first valve body made of plastic and a second valve body made of metal, the first valve body and the second valve body being fixedly connected by riveting to form the valve cavity.

20. The switching valve according to any one of claims 17-19, characterized in that, The switching valve further includes a mounting base having a slot, into which at least a portion of the valve seat is inserted; The inner wall of the slot has a first limiting part and a second limiting part, the first valve body abuts against the first limiting part, and the second valve body abuts against the second limiting part.

21. The switching valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The piston rod has a third limiting part, and the second piston abuts against the third limiting part.

22. A method for assembling a switching valve, characterized in that, The switching valve includes a valve seat, a piston assembly, and a resilient assembly. The valve seat includes a first valve chamber and a second valve chamber that are in communication with each other. The valve seat also includes a first valve body, which encloses at least a portion of the first valve chamber and at least a portion of the second valve chamber. The piston assembly includes a piston rod, a first piston, and a second piston. The resilient assembly includes a second elastic element. The assembly method includes: Assemble a pre-assembled component, the pre-assembled component comprising the first piston and the piston rod fixedly connected; Assemble the first valve body, the second elastic element, and the second piston, and sequentially sleeve the second elastic element, the first valve body, and the second piston on the outside of the piston rod, so that the second piston is fixedly connected to the piston rod; During the process of the second piston being fixedly connected to the piston rod, the distance between the second piston and the first valve body along the axial direction of the switching valve is always greater than zero.

23. The assembly method of the switching valve according to claim 22, characterized in that, The valve seat further includes a second valve body, and the elastic component further includes a first elastic element; the assembly method further includes: Assemble the first elastic element and the pre-assembled component, such that the first elastic element is clamped between the pre-assembled component and the second valve body; Assemble the second valve body and the first valve body to fix the first valve body and the second valve body together, with the first elastic element located inside the first valve cavity.

24. The assembly method of the switching valve according to claim 23, characterized in that, The switching valve further includes a mounting base having a slot, the inner wall of which has a first limiting portion and a second limiting portion; the assembly method further includes: At least a portion of the valve seat is inserted into the slot until the first valve body abuts against the first limiting portion and the second valve body abuts against the second limiting portion.

25. The assembly method of the switching valve according to claim 22, characterized in that, The first valve body has a partition, with the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber on either side of the partition. The partition has a through guide hole that communicates with both the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber. Assembling the first valve body, the second elastic element, and the second piston includes: The piston rod is passed through the guide hole from the side where the first valve chamber is located, and a portion of the piston rod extends into the second valve chamber.

26. The assembly method of the switching valve according to claim 22, characterized in that, The piston rod has a third limiting portion; assembling the second piston and the piston rod includes: Along the axial direction of the piston rod, the second piston is mounted on the piston rod from the end of the piston rod away from the first piston in a direction close to the first piston, until the second piston abuts against the third limiting part.

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