Refrigerant Pipe Unit with Rotatable Valve Body to Reduce Size
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing refrigerant pipe units in refrigeration apparatuses face challenges in reducing size due to the need for linear movement of valve bodies, which occupies additional space.
Innovation Solution
The refrigerant pipe unit incorporates a control valve with a rotatable valve body that changes the refrigerant flow according to the amount of rotation, eliminating the need for linear movement and allowing for a more compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a valve body is inserted in a plate to control refrigerant flow, then the refrigerant flow can be controlled, but the valve body requires linear movement space that increases the overall size of the refrigerant pipe unit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional linear movement mechanism by implementing rotational movement of the valve body instead. The valve body rotates about an axis perpendicular to the plate surface, changing the flow direction through angular displacement rather than linear translation. This inversion of the movement type eliminates the need for linear travel space while maintaining flow control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the valve body movement from one dimension (linear along the flow path) to another dimension (rotation about an axis perpendicular to the plate). By changing the degree of freedom from translational to rotational, the valve body can control refrigerant flow through angular position rather than linear displacement, significantly reducing the space required for movement and allowing for a more compact refrigerant pipe unit design.
2Volume of moving object
If the refrigerant pipe unit size is reduced, then the refrigeration apparatus becomes more compact, but the valve body movement space becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by inverting the movement mechanism from linear to rotational. The rotational movement type requires minimal radial space compared to linear movement, enabling the valve body to maintain full movement capability within a significantly reduced overall unit volume. This allows compact refrigerant pipe unit design without sacrificing operational functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic rotational mechanism where the valve body can rotate to different angular positions to control refrigerant flow. This dynamic rotational capability replaces the need for extensive linear travel space, allowing the valve body to achieve multiple flow control states within a compact rotational envelope, thus enabling both size reduction and maintained operational capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A refrigerant pipe unit includes: a first plate; a second plate stacked on the first plate; and a control valve. One or both of the first plate and the second plate include a refrigerant flow path. The control valve includes: a valve body that includes a refrigerant passage communicating with the refrigerant flow path, rotates in the first plate, and changes a flow of a refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path with an amount of rotation of the valve body; and a driver that adjusts the amount of the rotation of the valve body.