Flow Path Switching Valve Sealing Module to Prevent Wear and Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flow path switching valves in air conditioners face challenges in maintaining air-tightness and durability due to wear caused by the rotation of valve bodies, leading to potential refrigerant leakage and reduced reliability.
Innovation Solution
A flow path switching valve design featuring a housing with peripheral ports, a disc-shaped valve body, and a sealing module that separates and contacts with the valve body during rotation to maintain a hermetically sealed state, using pressure plates to pressurize sealing members and prevent wear, ensuring air-tightness and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the valve body rotates to switch flow direction, then the flow path switching function is achieved, but wear occurs between the valve body and housing leading to deterioration of air-tightness
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is segmented from the valve body by introducing a separate sealing member. The valve body rotates to switch flow paths while the sealing member remains stationary or moves independently, preventing wear between the rotating valve body and the housing. This segmentation allows the flow switching function and sealing function to be performed by separate components with optimized characteristics for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealing member is introduced as an intermediary component between the valve body and the housing. This sealing member mediates the sealing function, allowing the valve body to rotate freely without direct contact with the housing that would cause wear. The sealing member can be made of wear-resistant materials and designed to maintain sealing while accommodating the rotation of the valve body.
2Productivity
If the valve body rotates continuously, then flow path switching is achieved, but friction and wear between contact surfaces increase reducing durability
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the valve body and assigned to a separate sealing member. This extraction eliminates the friction and wear that would occur between the rotating valve body and the stationary housing, as the sealing member is designed to minimize contact or can be made of low-friction materials. The valve body can thus rotate continuously for flow path switching without suffering from wear that would reduce durability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively maintains air-tightness across omnidirectional surfaces, enhances durability by preventing wear through controlled contact and separation of sealing components, and ensures reliable operation by maintaining or releasing the hermetically sealed state based on valve body rotation.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure plate configured to be rotated along with the valve body, the pressure plate selectively pressurizing the sealing member toward the valve body as the valve body is rotated
Implementation Method 2
a refrigerant flow space may be hermetically sealed via contact friction between the valve body and the housing
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a flow path switching valve. The flow path switching valve includes a housing provided with a plurality of ports in a peripheral direction thereof, the housing having a space in which fluid is received, a valve body including a disc configured to divide the space of the housing into a plurality of flow spaces and to switch a flow direction of fluid via rotation, and a sealing member configured to seal at least one of an upper end and a lower end of the flow spaces, and a pressure plate configured to pressurize the sealing member toward the valve body as the valve body is rotated.