Electronic expansion valve and refrigeration system
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
Smart Images
Figure CN2026078236_13082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Electronic expansion valve and refrigeration system
[0001] Related applications
[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application filed on February 10, 2025, with application number 202520208910.2, entitled "Electronic Expansion Valve", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[0003] This application relates to the field of fluid control technology, and in particular to an electronic expansion valve and a refrigeration system. Background Technology
[0004] Electronic expansion valves are commonly used in refrigeration systems as throttling elements. They consist of a piston assembly and a coil assembly, with the coil assembly driving the piston assembly. The working principle of an electronic expansion valve is as follows: the coil assembly first drives a screw to rotate, which in turn drives a positioning cylinder to rotate. Because the positioning cylinder is circumferentially limited, it converts this circumferential motion into axial motion. Without this circumferential limiting device, the positioning cylinder cannot move properly. Summary of the Invention
[0005] According to various embodiments of this application, an electronic expansion valve is provided.
[0006] This application provides an electronic expansion valve, including a valve seat, a guide sleeve, and a piston assembly. The valve seat has a valve port. One end of the guide sleeve extends into the valve seat and is sealed to the valve seat. The guide sleeve is slidably connected to the piston assembly. The piston assembly includes a positioning cylinder, a screw, and a nut seat. One end of the positioning cylinder is located inside the guide sleeve and is slidably connected to the guide sleeve. The nut seat is located inside the positioning cylinder and is connected to the positioning cylinder. One end of the screw passes through the nut seat and is threadedly connected to the nut seat. The guide sleeve has a limiting part, and the positioning cylinder has a mating part. The limiting part and the mating part cooperate to restrict the circumferential rotation of the positioning cylinder, so that the positioning cylinder can slide along the guide sleeve to adjust the opening of the valve port.
[0007] In one embodiment, the mating part is a limiting hole, the limiting part is rod-shaped, and the limiting part passes through the limiting hole.
[0008] In one embodiment, there are two limiting parts, which are located on both sides of the screw, and the distance between the two limiting parts is d1. The outer diameter of the positioning cylinder is d2, and d1≥1 / 2d2.
[0009] In one embodiment, the diameter of the limiting part is d3, the outer diameter of the positioning cylinder is d2, and d3≥1 / 10d2.
[0010] In one embodiment, the diameter of the limiting part is d3, and the length of the limiting part is L, where d3 ≥ 1 / 10L.
[0011] In one embodiment, the limiting hole is elongated.
[0012] In one embodiment, the positioning cylinder includes a positioning sleeve and a positioning piece. The positioning piece is disposed at one end of the positioning sleeve and riveted to the positioning sleeve. The mating part is disposed on the positioning piece. The screw passes through the positioning piece. The nut seat is disposed inside the positioning sleeve.
[0013] In one embodiment, the positioning piece is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.
[0014] In one embodiment, the thickness t of the positioning piece is ≥ 3 mm.
[0015] In one embodiment, the positioning piece has a protrusion and the positioning sleeve has a groove, and the protrusion is engaged in the groove;
[0016] And / or, the positioning piece is provided with a groove, and the positioning sleeve is provided with a protrusion, the protrusion being engaged in the groove.
[0017] Details of one or more embodiments of this application are set forth in the following drawings and description. Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become apparent from the specification, drawings, and claims. Attached Figure Description
[0018] To better describe and illustrate embodiments and / or examples of the inventions disclosed herein, reference may be made to one or more accompanying drawings. Additional details or examples used to describe the drawings should not be considered as limiting the scope of any of the disclosed inventions, the currently described embodiments and / or examples, or the best mode of these inventions as currently understood.
[0019] Figure 1 is a partial structural diagram of the electronic expansion valve provided in this application when the limiting part and the mating part are engaged.
[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the positioning cylinder in some embodiments of this application.
[0021] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the positioning piece in some embodiments of this application.
[0022] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of an electronic expansion valve in some embodiments of this application.
[0023] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the refrigeration system in some embodiments of this application.
[0024] Reference numerals: 100, electronic expansion valve; 10, valve seat; 11, valve port; 12, first port; 13, second port; 20, guide sleeve; 21, limiting part; 30, piston assembly; 31, positioning cylinder; 311, mating part; 312, positioning sleeve; 3121, groove; 313, positioning plate; 3131, protrusion; 314, valve head; 32, screw; 33, nut seat; 40, coil assembly; 200, refrigeration system. Detailed Implementation
[0025] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0026] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is considered to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application's specification are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.
[0027] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0028] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature and the second feature are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used in this application includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0030] Please refer to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the electronic expansion valve 100 provided in this application. This application provides an electronic expansion valve 100, which is applied in a refrigeration system 200 to control the flow rate of the medium and achieve the function of throttling and pressure reduction.
[0031] Specifically, the electronic expansion valve 100 includes a valve seat 10, a guide sleeve 20, and a piston assembly 30. The valve seat 10 has a valve port 11. The guide sleeve 20 is connected to the valve seat 10 and extends at least partially into the valve seat 10 and is slidably connected to the piston assembly 30. During the sliding process of the piston assembly 30, the opening degree of the valve port 11 is controlled by controlling the distance between the piston assembly 30 and the valve port 11, thereby realizing the control of the flow rate.
[0032] The valve seat 10 also has a first port 12 and a second port 13, which are connected through the valve port 11.
[0033] In one embodiment, the axis of valve port 11 is inclined relative to the axes of the first port 12 and the second port 13, and the axes of the first port 12 and the second port 13 are parallel. Correspondingly, the piston assembly 30 is also inclined, which can reduce the overall height of the electronic expansion valve 100, making the electronic expansion valve 100 usable in scenarios with limited height space. In other embodiments, the axis of valve port 11 may also be perpendicular to the axes of the first port 12 and the second port 13, with the axes of the first port 12 and the second port 13 being parallel. Alternatively, the axis of valve port 11 may be parallel to the axis of the first port 12 and perpendicular to the axis of the second port 13. Adjustments can be made according to different application scenarios, and no limitation is made here.
[0034] The valve seat 10 and guide sleeve 20 are threaded together, which is simple to install and the threaded connection is detachable, so that the piston assembly 30 can be replaced when it is damaged.
[0035] Furthermore, the piston assembly 30 includes a positioning cylinder 31, a screw 32, and a nut seat 33. One end of the positioning cylinder 31 is slidably connected to the guide sleeve 20 and can move along the guide sleeve 20. The nut seat 33 is disposed inside the positioning cylinder 31 and connected to the positioning cylinder 31. The screw 32 is threadedly connected to the nut seat 33. When the screw 32 rotates, the nut seat 33 has a circumferential driving force. Since the positioning cylinder 31 is circumferentially limited, the nut seat 33 is also circumferentially limited. Therefore, the nut seat 33 can only drive the positioning cylinder 31 to move axially.
[0036] The positioning cylinder 31 is provided with a mating part 311, and the guide sleeve 20 is provided with a limiting part 21. The limiting part 21 and the mating part 311 are mated. Since the guide sleeve 20 is connected to the valve seat 10, the positioning cylinder 31 is circumferentially limited by the guide sleeve 20 through the mating part 311 and the limiting part 21, thereby realizing the axial movement of the positioning cylinder 31.
[0037] This configuration enables the circumferential limiting of the positioning cylinder, allowing it to convert circumferential motion into axial motion and ensuring the effective operation of the electronic expansion valve.
[0038] The limiting part 21 and the guide sleeve 20 are fixedly connected by laser welding, which can improve welding efficiency.
[0039] In one embodiment, the limiting part 21 is rod-shaped, and the mating part 311 is a limiting hole. The limiting part 21 extends into the mating part 311. It is understood that since the rod-shaped limiting part 21 can extend into the limiting hole, it is not necessary to reserve height for the limiting part 21 during design, thereby reducing the overall height of the electronic expansion valve 100. At the same time, the rod-shaped limiting part 21 also serves as a guide for the movement of the positioning cylinder 31. In other embodiments, the limiting part 21 may also be a limiting hole, and the mating part 311 may be rod-shaped.
[0040] Please refer to Figure 1, which is a partial cross-sectional view of the electronic expansion valve 100 when the limiting part 21 and the mating part 311 are engaged. There are two limiting parts 21, which are respectively located on both sides of the screw 32. The distance between the two limiting parts 21 is d1, and the outer diameter of the positioning cylinder 31 is d2, where d1 ≥ 1 / 2d2. It can be understood that if d1 is too small, the torque exerted by the limiting part 21 to restrict the rotation of the positioning cylinder 31 will be too large, which will cause the rod-shaped limiting part 21 to deform. d1 can be any value greater than 1 / 2d2, such as 1 / 2d2, 2 / 3d2, 4 / 5d2, etc. It should be explained that d1 refers to the distance between the central axes of the two limiting parts 21.
[0041] This design prevents the limiting part from bending and deforming due to large torque.
[0042] The diameter of the limiting part 21 is d3, where d3 ≥ 1 / 10d2. Similarly, if the thickness of the limiting part 21 is set too small, it will also cause the rod-shaped limiting part 21 to bend and deform. d3 can be any value greater than 1 / 10d2, such as 1 / 10d2, 1 / 5d2, or 1 / 4d2. The limiting part 21 can be a cylinder or a cuboid. If it is a cuboid, the diameter of the limiting part 21 refers to the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the cuboid's cross-section.
[0043] This design ensures that the limiting part has sufficient strength to prevent it from bending or deforming.
[0044] The length of the limiting part 21 is L, and d3 ≥ 1 / 10L. Similarly, if the thickness of the limiting part 21 is much smaller than the length of the limiting part 21, it will cause the limiting part 21 to bend. d3 can be any value greater than 1 / 10L, such as 1 / 10L, 1 / 5dL, or 1 / 4dL.
[0045] This design prevents the limiting part from bending and deforming due to large torque.
[0046] The limiting hole is elongated, which ensures that the rod-shaped limiting part 21 can enter the limiting hole, thus reducing the machining accuracy of the limiting hole.
[0047] In one embodiment, the limiting hole is a semi-oblong hole, with one end penetrating the outer surface of the positioning piece 313 for easy processing. In other embodiments, the limiting hole can be an oblong hole, a rectangular hole, etc., and one end of the limiting hole may not penetrate the outer surface of the positioning piece 313.
[0048] Please refer to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the positioning cylinder 31, and Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the positioning piece 313. The positioning cylinder 31 includes a positioning sleeve 312 and a positioning piece 313. The positioning piece 313 is located at one end of the positioning sleeve 312 and is riveted to the positioning sleeve 312. A mating part 311 is located on the positioning piece 313. A screw 32 passes through the positioning piece 313 and is spaced apart from the positioning piece 313. A nut seat 33 is located inside the positioning sleeve 312. It can be understood that the positioning cylinder 31 is a split type, which facilitates first installing the nut seat 33 inside the positioning sleeve 312, and then riveting the positioning piece 313 and the positioning sleeve 312 together.
[0049] The positioning plate 313 is made of polytetrafluoroethylene, which can reduce the overall weight of the electronic expansion valve 100 and has strong corrosion resistance.
[0050] Furthermore, the thickness t of the positioning piece 313 is ≥ 3mm. A positioning piece 313 of a certain thickness can prevent the positioning piece 313 from deforming due to excessive force when the limiting part 21 restricts the rotation of the positioning piece 313. t can be any value of 3mm, 4mm, 5mm or other values above 3mm.
[0051] This design prevents the positioning plate from deforming due to the large torque of the limiting part.
[0052] In one embodiment, the positioning piece 313 has a protrusion 3131, and the positioning sleeve 312 has a groove 3121. The protrusion 3131 is engaged in the groove 3121, and the engagement of the groove 3121 and the protrusion 3131 positions the positioning sleeve 312. In another embodiment, the groove 3121 may be provided on the positioning piece 313, and the protrusion 3131 may be provided on the positioning sleeve 312. In other embodiments, both the groove 3121 and the protrusion 3131 are provided on the positioning piece 313 and the positioning sleeve 312. The protrusion 3131 on the positioning piece 313 engages in the groove 3121 on the positioning sleeve 312, and the protrusion 3131 on the positioning sleeve 312 engages in the groove 3121 on the positioning piece 313.
[0053] This setup serves to position the positioning piece during installation.
[0054] The end of the positioning sleeve 312 away from the positioning piece 313 is provided with a valve head 314. The valve head 314 is connected to the positioning sleeve 312 and can block the valve port 11.
[0055] The positioning sleeve 312 and the valve head 314 are threaded together, making installation convenient.
[0056] Please refer to Figure 4. The electronic expansion valve 100 also includes a coil assembly 40. The coil assembly 40 is located at the end of the guide sleeve 20 away from the valve seat 10. The end of the screw 32 away from the valve port 11 extends out of the guide sleeve 20 and is connected to the coil assembly 40. The coil assembly 40 is used to drive the screw 32 to rotate.
[0057] During operation, the coil assembly 40 drives the screw 32 to rotate. The screw 32 is threadedly connected to the nut seat 33. Since the nut seat 33 is connected to the positioning sleeve 312, and the positioning sleeve 312 is connected to the positioning plate 313, the mating part 311 on the positioning plate 313 and the limiting part 21 on the guide sleeve 20 are engaged, causing the positioning sleeve 312 to be unable to rotate circumferentially. At the same time, the nut seat 33 is unable to rotate circumferentially. The nut seat 33 converts the circumferential motion into axial motion, thereby driving the positioning sleeve 312 and the valve head 314 to move axially, controlling the opening size of the valve port 11.
[0058] The technical features of the above-described embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0059] Those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any appropriate changes and variations made to the above embodiments within the spirit and essence of this application fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.
Claims
1. An electronic expansion valve, comprising a valve seat, a guide sleeve, and a piston assembly, wherein the valve seat has a valve port, one end of the guide sleeve extends into the valve seat and is sealed to the valve seat, and the guide sleeve is slidably connected to the piston assembly; Its features are, The piston assembly includes a positioning cylinder, a screw, and a nut seat. One end of the positioning cylinder is disposed inside the guide sleeve and is slidably connected to the guide sleeve. The nut seat is disposed inside the positioning cylinder and is connected to the positioning cylinder. One end of the screw passes through the nut seat and is threadedly connected to the nut seat. The guide sleeve is provided with a limiting part, and the positioning cylinder is provided with a mating part. The limiting part and the mating part cooperate to restrict the circumferential rotation of the positioning cylinder, so that the positioning cylinder can slide along the guide sleeve to adjust the opening of the valve port.
2. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, wherein, The mating part is a limiting hole, the limiting part is rod-shaped, and the limiting part passes through the limiting hole.
3. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 2, wherein, There are two limiting parts, which are located on both sides of the screw. The distance between the two limiting parts is d1, and the outer diameter of the positioning cylinder is d2, where d1 ≥ 1 / 2d2.
4. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 2, wherein, The diameter of the limiting part is d3, and the outer diameter of the positioning cylinder is d2, where d3 ≥ 1 / 10d2.
5. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 2, wherein, The diameter of the limiting part is d3, and the length of the limiting part is L, where d3 ≥ 1 / 10L.
6. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 2, wherein, The limiting hole is elongated.
7. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 1, wherein, The positioning cylinder includes a positioning sleeve and a positioning plate. The positioning plate is located at one end of the positioning sleeve and is riveted to the positioning sleeve. The mating part is located on the positioning plate. The screw passes through the positioning plate. The nut seat is located inside the positioning sleeve.
8. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 7, wherein, The positioning piece is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.
9. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 7, wherein, The thickness t of the positioning piece is ≥3mm.
10. The electronic expansion valve according to claim 7, wherein, The positioning piece has a protrusion, and the positioning sleeve has a groove, with the protrusion engaging into the groove; And / or, the positioning piece is provided with a groove, and the positioning sleeve is provided with a protrusion, the protrusion being engaged in the groove.
11. A refrigeration system, characterized in that, Includes the electronic expansion valve as described in any one of claims 1-10.