JP7626733B2 - Switching valve and refrigeration cycle system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a switching valve used in a refrigeration cycle system such as an air conditioner, which switches the flow path of a refrigerant, and to the refrigeration cycle system.

Conventionally, there has been disclosed a switching valve in which a pilot drive unit that slides a slide valve inside the switching valve body is connected to the switching valve body via a bracket (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Among such brackets, there is a sheet metal processing type that has a pair of holding plates that are fixed to the switching valve body at one end and hold the pilot drive unit at the other end, and this type of bracket is used in the switching valve described in Patent Document 1.

JP 2010-112437 A

The pair of retaining plates of the bracket described above have high resistance to external forces in the in-plane direction of each retaining plate, but tend to move easily in the out-of-plane direction and have low resistance. In other words, in a switching valve in which the switching valve body and pilot drive unit are connected by the bracket described above, a significant difference in strength occurs depending on the direction of the external force, and there is room for improvement in terms of such significant differences.

The object of the present invention is to provide a switching valve and a refrigeration cycle system in which significant differences in strength with respect to the direction of an external force are suppressed.

The switching valve of the present invention comprises a switching valve body incorporating a slide valve and switching a flow path state in response to the sliding of the slide valve, a pilot drive unit for sliding the slide valve, and a bracket for connecting the pilot drive unit to the switching valve body, the bracket being a pair of plate parts each erected on an outer surface of the switching valve body and arranged opposite to each other in a predetermined opposing direction, one end side of each plate part being fixed to the outer surface as the valve body side of the bracket and the other end side being the pilot side of the bracket in the erecting direction intersecting with the outer surface of the switching valve body, a pair of holding plates which hold the pilot drive unit on the pilot side, and a reinforcing part extending in the opposing direction and connecting the pair of holding plates to each other, the pilot drive unit having a pair of holding plates which are fixed to the outer surface as the valve body side of the bracket and the other end side being the pilot side of the bracket, in the erecting direction intersecting with the outer surface of the switching valve body, a capillary tube through which a driving fluid passes is connected, and each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates has a pair of side edges extending in the vertical direction and a pair of end edges extending in a width direction intersecting the vertical direction, and the pilot-side end edge is provided with a first recess that is recessed toward the valve body and receives a held portion adjacent to the connection portion of the capillary tube in the pilot drive portion on the inside, and the reinforcing portion is formed in a band-like plate shape that connects at least one of the pair of side edges of each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates with a connecting width from the end portion on the valve body side to a portion overlapping with the first recess in the vertical direction, and the pilot-side end edge of the reinforcing portion is provided with a second recess that is recessed toward the valve body and allows the capillary tube extending from the connection portion of the pilot drive portion to pass inside .

Note that switching the state of a flow path here refers to a technical concept that includes switching a flow path, changing one flow path to another, and switching a flow path between open and closed, closing or opening a flow path.

With this switching valve, the bracket provides high resistance to external forces in the in-plane direction of each retaining plate due to the shape of each retaining plate, and high resistance in the opposing direction of the pair of retaining plates, i.e., in the out-of-plane direction of each retaining plate, due to the reinforcing portion. In other words, by connecting the switching valve body and the pilot drive unit with such a bracket, it is possible to reduce significant differences in strength in the switching valve with respect to the direction of external forces.

Here, each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates has a pair of side edges extending in the erecting direction and a pair of end edges extending in a width direction intersecting the erecting direction, and at least one of the pair of end edges is curved concavely so as to form a shortest portion where the distance between the end edges in the erecting direction is the shortest, and the reinforcing portion is preferably formed in a band shape that connects at least one of the pair of side edges of each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates with a connecting width that extends from the end portion on the valve body side to a portion on the pilot side in the erecting direction beyond the center of the erecting direction in the shortest portion.

According to this configuration, the reinforcing portion of the bracket supports the side edge of the retaining plate with a connection width that extends from the end on the valve body side to a portion on the pilot side of the center in the vertical direction of the shortest portion. This reduces the length of the portion of the side edge of the retaining plate that is not supported by the reinforcing portion, further reducing the significant difference in strength with respect to the direction of external force.

The pilot drive section is connected to a thin tube through which the drive fluid used to slide the slide valve passes, and the reinforcing section is provided in a position in the vertical installation direction closer to the switching valve body than the pilot side that holds the pilot drive section on the pair of holding plates, and the bracket receives and holds the connection section of the thin tube in the pilot drive section at a position farther from the switching valve body than the reinforcing section in the vertical installation direction, and preferably defines a holding space with an open thin tube extension port so that the thin tube extending from the connection section extends to the outside of the bracket, avoiding the reinforcing section, by the pilot side of each plate section of the pair of holding plates.

The connection part of the thin tube in the pilot drive part may have a valve body disposed therein for changing the flow path state of the drive fluid through the thin tube, and it is desirable to protect it from external forces. With the above configuration, such a thin tube connection part can be received and firmly held in the above holding space while effectively avoiding interference between the reinforcing part and the thin tube.

The pilot drive section is connected to a thin tube through which the drive fluid used to slide the slide valve passes, and each plate portion of the pair of holding plates has a pair of side edges extending in the vertical direction and a pair of end edges extending in a width direction intersecting the vertical direction, and the pilot side end edge is recessed toward the valve body side and has a first recess on the inside to receive a held portion adjacent to the connection portion of the thin tube in the pilot drive section, and the reinforcing portion is formed in a band shape that connects at least one of the pair of side edges of each plate portion of the pair of holding plates with a connection width from the end portion on the valve body side to a portion overlapping with the first recess in the vertical direction, and the pilot side end edge of the reinforcing portion is recessed toward the valve body side and has a second recess so that the thin tube extending from the connection portion of the pilot drive section passes inside.

According to this configuration, a first recess is provided on the pilot side edge of the retaining plate to receive the retained portion adjacent to the connection portion of the thin tube of the pilot drive unit. This allows the connection portion of the thin tube, which is desirably protected from external forces as described above, to be firmly held by the pair of retaining plates. In addition, the reinforcing portion connecting the side edges of the retaining plates supports the side edges of the retaining plates with a connection width from the end on the valve body side to the portion overlapping with the first recess, thereby increasing the holding strength of the pair of retaining plates. Furthermore, this reinforcing portion is provided with a second recess through which the thin tube passes inside, so that the reinforcing portion can effectively avoid interference between the thin tube and the reinforcing portion while increasing the holding strength described above.

It is also preferable that each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates has a pair of side edges extending in the erecting direction and a pair of end edges extending in a width direction intersecting the erecting direction, and that the bracket is provided with a pair of reinforcing parts between the pair of retaining plates so as to connect the pair of side edges of each plate portion to each other.

With this configuration, a pair of reinforcing parts that connect the pair of retaining plates are provided to connect each of the pair of side edges, so that the significant difference in strength due to the direction of external force can be further reduced.

It is also preferable that each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates has a pair of side edges extending in the erecting direction and a pair of end edges extending in a width direction intersecting the erecting direction, and that the bracket is formed in a strip shape extending in the opposing direction between the pair of retaining plates so as to connect the end edges of the pair of end edges of each plate portion that are on the valve body side, and further includes a body side fixing portion that is face-mounted and fixed to the outer surface of the switching valve body.

With this configuration, the pilot drive unit can be firmly fixed to the switching valve body via the bracket by surface-to-surface fixing between the body-side fixing portion of the bracket and the outer surface of the switching valve body.

It is further preferred that the body-side fixing portion is formed in a strip shape that connects the valve body-side end edges of each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates across the entire width of each plate portion, and the reinforcing portion is formed in a strip shape that connects at least one of the pair of side edges of each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates with a connecting width from the end portion on the valve body side to a portion that is at a predetermined height in the erecting direction, and that the end edge connecting the valve body-side end portions is connected to the body-side fixing portion.

With this configuration, the main body side fixing part is formed across the entire width of the retaining plate, and the reinforcing part is connected to this main body side fixing part, which strengthens the support strength of the retaining plate by the reinforcing part, and further reduces significant differences in strength in response to the directional application of external forces to the switching valve.

Moreover, it is even more preferable that the bracket is provided with a pair of reinforcing parts between the pair of retaining plates so as to connect the pair of side edges of each plate part, and that the bracket is integrally molded so as to have a rectangular box shape with the pilot side open, with the pair of retaining plates, the pair of reinforcing parts, and the main body side fixing part as the outer walls.

With this configuration, by integrally molding the bracket into a rectangular box shape, it is possible to further reduce the significant difference in strength of the switching valve in relation to the direction of external forces. In addition, such a rectangular box-shaped bracket can be formed by press processing, which has low processing costs, so the manufacturing costs of the switching valve including the bracket can be reduced.

The refrigeration cycle system of the present invention is characterized by comprising a compressor that compresses a refrigerant fluid, a first heat exchanger that functions as a condenser in the cooling mode, a second heat exchanger that functions as an evaporator in the cooling mode, an expansion means that expands the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger to reduce the pressure, and the above-mentioned switching valve.

This refrigeration cycle system is equipped with the above-mentioned switching valve, which makes it possible to reduce significant differences in strength in relation to the direction of external forces in this switching valve.

The switching valve and refrigeration cycle system of the present invention can reduce significant differences in strength depending on the direction of an external force.

1 is a three-view diagram showing an overall structure of a switching valve according to a first embodiment; 2 is a schematic diagram showing a refrigeration cycle system including the switching valve shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a bracket in the switching valve of FIG. 1 together with a pilot drive portion. FIG. 4 is a three-view diagram of the bracket shown in FIG. 3 together with a valve portion that the bracket holds in the pilot drive portion. 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views of the bracket shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a first modified example side by side with the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a second modified example and a third modified example side by side with the first embodiment. 13A to 13C are cross-sectional views of the bracket according to a fourth modified example, similar to those of FIG. 5 . FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a bracket in a switching valve according to a second embodiment together with a pilot drive portion. 10A to 10C are cross-sectional views of the bracket shown in FIG. 9 . FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a bracket in a switching valve according to a third embodiment together with a pilot drive portion. 12A to 12C are cross-sectional views of the bracket shown in FIG. 11 . 13 is a cross-sectional view of each part of the pilot joint shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of each part of the main body joint shown in FIG. 12 . FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a bracket in a switching valve according to a fourth embodiment together with a pilot drive portion. 16A to 16C are cross-sectional views of the bracket shown in FIG. 15 . FIG. 13 is a view showing a bracket in a switching valve according to a fifth embodiment together with a pilot drive portion. 18A to 18C are cross-sectional views of the bracket shown in FIG. 17 .

The switching valve and refrigeration cycle system according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

Figure 1 is a three-sided view showing the overall structure of the switching valve of the first embodiment. Also, Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a refrigeration cycle system equipped with the switching valve shown in Figure 1.

The switching valve 10 of this embodiment is a four-way switching valve that switches the communication state of four joint pipes, namely, D joint pipe 15d, E joint pipe 15e, S joint pipe 15s, and C joint pipe 15c, which will be described in detail later. This switching valve 10 switches the flow path of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle system 1 shown in FIG. 2 by switching the communication state of these four joint pipes. The switching valve 10 includes a switching valve body 11, a pilot drive unit 12, and a bracket 13.

The switching valve body 11 incorporates a slide valve 112 inside the valve housing 111, and switches the flow path state in response to the sliding of the slide valve 112. In this embodiment, switching the flow path state means switching the flow path by changing one flow path to another flow path in multiple flow paths formed through four joint tubes. The valve housing 111 is a cylindrical member made of stainless steel with both ends closed, and the D joint tube 15d, E joint tube 15e, S joint tube 15s, and C joint tube 15c are connected to its peripheral wall so as to communicate with the inside. The D joint tube 15d, E joint tube 15e, S joint tube 15s, and C joint tube 15c are also made of stainless steel, like the valve housing 111. The slide valve 112 and valve seat 113 are installed inside the valve housing 111.

The slide valve 112 includes a pair of pistons 114L, 114R, a connecting plate 115, and a valve body 116. The slide valve 112 is installed inside the valve housing 111 and connects two pairs of joint pipes among the multiple joint pipes described above, and switches the joint pipes to be connected by sliding movement.

The pair of pistons 114L, 114R are arranged opposite each other and can move back and forth while pressing the packing against the inner peripheral surface of the valve housing 111. As a result, the inside of the valve housing 111 is divided by the two pistons 114L, 114R into a high-pressure valve chamber 11a in the center and a first working chamber 11b and a second working chamber 11c on either side of the valve chamber 11a.

The connecting plate 115 is made of a metal plate, and is installed between the pistons 114L, 114R so as to be positioned on the axis X of the valve housing 111, and holds the valve body 116 in its center. When the pistons 114L, 114R move, the valve body 116 slides on the valve seat 113 in conjunction with the connecting plate 115, and stops when the pistons 114L, 114R reach predetermined stopper positions at the left and right ends of the valve housing 111.

The valve seat 113 is disposed in the middle of the valve housing 111, and the D joint pipe 15d is attached as a high-pressure pipe that opens into the valve housing 111 at a position facing the valve seat 113 in the middle of the valve housing 111. In addition, the E joint pipe 15e and the C joint pipe 15c as a pair of conduits and the S joint pipe 15s as a low-pressure pipe are attached to the valve seat 113 in a straight line in the axial direction X of the valve housing 111. The valve body 116 has a bowl-shaped recess 116a formed on its inside. At the end position on the left side of FIG. 1, the valve body 116 communicates with the S joint pipe 15s and the E joint pipe 15e through the bowl-shaped recess 116a. At this time, the C joint pipe 15c communicates with the D joint pipe 15d through the valve chamber 11a. In addition, when the slide valve 112 is moved to the right in FIG. 1, the valve body 116 connects the S joint pipe 15s and the C joint pipe 15c through the bowl-shaped recess 116a. At this time, the E joint pipe 15e connects to the D joint pipe 15d through the valve chamber 11a.

In the refrigeration cycle system 1 shown in FIG. 2, the D joint pipe 15d is a high-pressure pipe connected to the discharge port of the compressor 1a, and the S joint pipe 15s is a low-pressure pipe connected to the suction port of the compressor 1a. The C joint pipe 15c is a conduit connected to the outdoor heat exchanger 1b (first heat exchanger), and the E joint pipe 15e is a conduit connected to the indoor heat exchanger 1c (second heat exchanger). The outdoor heat exchanger 1b and the indoor heat exchanger 1c are connected via the throttling device 1d (expansion means). The refrigeration cycle system 1 is composed of a flow path consisting of the C joint pipe 15c, the outdoor heat exchanger 1b, the throttling device 1d, the indoor heat exchanger 1c, and the E joint pipe 15e, and a flow path consisting of the S joint pipe 15s, the compressor 1a, and the D joint pipe 15d.

The pilot drive unit 12 is connected to the valve housing 111 via a bracket 13. The pilot drive unit 12 causes the drive fluid to flow through a pair of spaces, i.e., the first working chamber 11b and the second working chamber 11c, that sandwich the slide valve 112 in the axial direction D11 inside the valve housing 111, to slide the slide valve 112 in the axial direction D11. In this embodiment, the pilot drive unit 12 causes the fluid of the D joint pipe 15d, which serves as a high-pressure pipe, to flow through one of the first working chamber 11b and the second working chamber 11c, and causes the fluid of the S joint pipe 15s, which serves as a low-pressure pipe, to flow through the other, to slide the slide valve 112.

The pilot drive unit 12 is an electromagnetic valve having a structure similar to that of the switching valve 10, and when energized, the pilot valve body inside slides to switch the flow path of the driving fluid. The pilot valve body switches the connection destination of the low-pressure coupling capillary tube 16s, which is connected to the S coupling tube 15s as a low-pressure piping, as follows. That is, the pilot drive unit 12 switches the connection destination of the low-pressure coupling capillary tube 16s between the first housing capillary tube 16L connected to the first working chamber 11b of the switching valve 10 and the second housing capillary tube 16R connected to the second working chamber 11c. At the same time, the connection destination of the high-pressure coupling capillary tube 16d, which is connected to the D coupling tube 15d as a high-pressure piping, is switched between the first housing capillary tube 16L and the second housing capillary tube 16R. This generates a pressure difference between the pressure in the first working chamber 11b and the pressure in the second working chamber 11c, and this pressure difference causes the slide valve 112 to slide in the axial direction D11 from the high pressure side to the low pressure side. This sliding movement switches the position of the valve body 116 in the slide valve 112, switching the flow path of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle system 1. The low pressure joint capillary tube 16s, the high pressure joint capillary tube 16d, the first housing capillary tube 16L, and the second housing capillary tube 16R are all stainless steel capillary tubes.

With the above configuration, the high-pressure refrigerant compressed by the compressor 1a flows into the valve chamber 11a from the D joint pipe 15d, and in the cooling operation state (cooling mode), the high-pressure refrigerant flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 1b from the C joint pipe 15c. Also, in the heating operation state (heating mode) in which the position of the valve body 116 is switched, the high-pressure refrigerant flows into the indoor heat exchanger 1c from the E joint pipe 15e. That is, during cooling operation, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor 1a circulates from the D joint pipe 15d → the C joint pipe 15c → the outdoor heat exchanger 1b → the throttling device 1d → the indoor heat exchanger 1c → the E joint pipe 15e. In this case, the outdoor heat exchanger 1b functions as a condenser, and the indoor heat exchanger 1c functions as an evaporator, and cooling is performed. The throttling device 1d expands the refrigerant between the outdoor heat exchanger 1b and the indoor heat exchanger 1c to reduce its pressure. During heating operation, the refrigerant is circulated in the opposite direction, with the indoor heat exchanger 1c functioning as a condenser and the outdoor heat exchanger 1b functioning as an evaporator to provide heating.

The bracket 13 for connecting the pilot drive unit 12 to the valve housing 111 is a member having the following structure.

Figure 3 shows the bracket in the switching valve of Figure 1 together with the pilot drive unit. Figure 4 is a three-view diagram showing the bracket shown in Figure 3 together with the valve portion that the bracket holds in the pilot drive unit, and Figure 5 shows the bracket shown in Figures 3 and 4 in cross section at each portion. Figure 5 shows cross sections of bracket 13 along lines V11-V11, V12-V12, and V13-V13 in Figure 5.

First, the pilot drive unit 12 includes a main body portion 121 that slides the pilot valve body inside the cylindrical housing, and a coil portion 122 that is wound around the outer periphery of the housing to slide the pilot valve body. The main body portion 121 is configured so that a valve seat is provided inside a stainless steel valve portion 123 at one end of the main body portion 121, and the pilot valve body slides on the surface of the valve seat. The first housing capillary 16L, the second housing capillary 16R, and the low pressure joint capillary 16s are connected to the outer periphery of the valve portion 123 in the main body portion 121, and the valve seat is provided so that each capillary opens on the surface on which the pilot valve body slides. In addition, the high pressure joint capillary 16d is connected to a position on the outer periphery of the valve portion 123 that faces the valve seat so that it opens toward the inside of the valve portion 123. The valve portion 123 has a pilot valve body and a valve seat disposed therein, and a connection portion 123a, to whose outer peripheral surface the above-mentioned four thin tubes are connected, is located in the central portion of the valve portion 123 in the axial direction D12 of the main body portion 121. In the valve portion 123, a pair of portions sandwiching the connection portion 123a in the axial direction D12 are held portions 123b that are held by the bracket 13 described below.

The bracket 13 in this embodiment is a stainless steel member that holds the valve portion 123 of the main body portion 121 in the pilot drive portion 12 and is fixed to the outer surface of the switching valve main body 11 described above, thereby connecting the pilot drive portion 12 to the switching valve main body 11. One end of the bracket 13 forms the valve main body side 13a and is fixed to the outer surface of the switching valve main body 11, and the other end forms the pilot side 13b and holds the valve portion 123. This bracket 13 includes a pair of holding plates 131, a pair of reinforcing portions 132, and a main body side fixing portion 133.

The pair of retaining plates 131 are a pair of plate portions that are erected on the outer surface of the switching valve body 11 and arranged opposite to each other in a predetermined opposing direction D13. In this embodiment, the opposing direction D13 of the pair of retaining plates 131 is a direction along the axial direction D11 of the switching valve body 11. The pair of retaining plates 131 are erected on the outer surface of the switching valve body 11 via the body side fixing portion 133. The pair of retaining plates 131 are fixed to the outer surface with one end side of each plate portion as the valve body side 13a in the erecting direction D14 that intersects with the outer surface of the switching valve body 11. The pair of retaining plates 131 are also fixed to the outer surface with the other end side of each plate portion as the pilot side 13b, and the pilot side 13b holds the valve portion 123 of the pilot drive unit 12.

Each retaining plate 131 is formed in a strip shape having a pair of side edges 131a extending in the erecting direction D14 and a pair of end edges 131b extending in a width direction D15 intersecting the erecting direction D14. Of the pair of end edges 131b, the end edge 131b-1 on the valve body side 13a is concavely curved along the outer surface of the switching valve body 11, and the end edge 131b-2 on the pilot side 13b is concavely curved along the outer surface of the valve portion 123 in the pilot drive unit 12. As a result, a shortest part 131c where the distance between the end edges in the erecting direction D14 is the shortest is formed in approximately the center of the width direction D15 of each retaining plate 131. The edge 131b-2 of the concave pilot side 13b is recessed along its entire length toward the valve body side 13a, forming a first recess 131d on the inside that receives the retained portion 123b adjacent to the thin tube connection portion 123a in the valve portion 123.

The reinforcing portion 132 is a portion that extends in the opposing direction D13 of the pair of retaining plates 131 and connects the pair of retaining plates 131 to each other. In this embodiment, the bracket 13 is provided with a pair of reinforcing portions 132 between the pair of retaining plates 131 so as to connect each of the pair of side edges 131a of each plate portion. Each reinforcing portion 132 is formed in a band shape that connects the side edges 131a to each other with the following connection width W11. That is, the connection width W11 of the reinforcing portion 132 is the width from the end 131a-1 of the valve body side 13a at the side edge 131a to the portion 131a-2 that is the pilot side 13b from the center 131c-1 in the erection direction D14 of the shortest portion 131c. Furthermore, the portion 131a-2 of the pilot side 13b that defines this connection width W11 is the portion that overlaps with the first recess 131d in the retaining plate 131 in the erection direction D14, more specifically, the upper end portion of the pilot side 13b in the first recess 131d.

Here, the pair of reinforcing parts 132 is composed of a high-pressure side reinforcing part 132a located on the connection side of the high-pressure joint capillary tube 16d in the valve part 123, and a low-pressure side reinforcing part 132b located on the connection side of the low-pressure joint capillary tube 16s. The edge 132a-1 of the pilot side 13b of the high-pressure side reinforcing part 132a is recessed toward the valve body side 13a, and a high-pressure side second recess 132a-2 is provided so that the high-pressure joint capillary tube 16d extending from the connection part 123a of the valve part 123 passes through the inside. On the other hand, the edge 132b-1 of the pilot side 13b of the low-pressure side reinforcing part 132b is provided with a low-pressure side second recess 132b-2 so that three capillaries including the low-pressure joint capillary tube 16s pass through the inside. The high-pressure side second recess 132a-2 and the low-pressure side second recess 132b-2 are formed in the center of the width direction of each reinforcing part 132 (i.e., the opposing direction D13 of the pair of holding plates 131). In addition, the low-pressure side second recess 132b-2, which passes three capillaries including the low-pressure joint capillary tube 16s, has a larger diameter than the high-pressure side second recess 132a-2, which passes only the high-pressure joint capillary tube 16d.

The body side fixing portion 133 is formed in a strip shape extending in the opposing direction D13 between the pair of retaining plates 131 so as to connect the ends 131b-1 of the valve body side 13a of each plate portion, and is a portion that is fixed by surface attachment to the outer surface of the switching valve body 11. In this embodiment, the body side fixing portion 133 has a curved shape that conforms to the outer surface of the switching valve body 11. The body side fixing portion 133 is fixed by brazing or welding while being surface-attached to the outer surface of the switching valve body 11.

Here, the main body side fixing part 133 is in the form of a strip that connects the ends 131b-1 of the valve main body side 13a of each plate part of the pair of holding plates 131 across the entire width of each plate part. And, the reinforcing part 132 has ends 132a-3, 132b-3 that connect the ends 131a-1 of the valve main body side 13a of the side edges 131a of each holding plate 131, which are connected to the main body side fixing part 133.

The bracket 13 of this embodiment is integrally molded so that the pair of retaining plates 131, the pair of reinforcing parts 132, and the main body side fixing part 133 form the outer walls, forming a rectangular box shape with the pilot side 13b open in the erection direction D14. The method for integrally molding this bracket 13 may be, for example, press processing, or the edges of the plates may be joined together by welding or brazing, etc.

The bracket 13 is fixed to the valve portion 123 of the pilot drive unit 12 so that the pair of held portions 123b are received in the first recesses 131d of the pair of holding plates 131. At this time, the bracket 13 may be fixed to the valve portion 123 by crimping the edges 132a-1, 132b-1 of the pilot side 13b of the pair of reinforcing parts 132 so as to reduce the diameter of the first recesses 131d and tighten each of the held portions 123b. Alternatively, the bracket 13 may be fixed to the valve portion 123 by joining the peripheral surface of the held portion 123b and the inner peripheral edge of the first recesses 131d by welding, brazing, or the like, over the entire length of the inner peripheral edge or a part of the inner peripheral edge.

In the bracket 13 fixed to the valve portion 123 in this manner, a holding space 13c is formed on the pilot side 13b of the pair of holding plates 131 to receive and hold the connection portion 123a of the thin tube in the valve portion 123. In this holding space 13c, a pair of first recesses 131d that receive the held portion 123b are open in the opposing direction D13 of the holding plate 131. In addition, in the width direction D15 of the holding plate 131, the high pressure side second recess 132a-2 and the low pressure side second recess 132b-2 are open as thin tube extension openings 13d through which the thin tube extending from the connection portion 123a extends to the outside of the bracket 13 while avoiding the reinforcing portion 132. In the bracket 13 of this embodiment, such a holding space 13c is partitioned by the pilot side 13b of each of the pair of holding plates 131 and the pair of reinforcing portions 132.

The switching valve 10 and refrigeration cycle system 1 of the first embodiment described above can provide the following effects. That is, according to this embodiment, in the bracket 13, the shape of each retaining plate 131 provides high resistance to external forces in the in-plane direction of each retaining plate 131. Also, in the opposing direction D13 of the pair of retaining plates 131, i.e., the out-of-plane direction of each retaining plate 131, the reinforcing portion 132 provides high resistance. In other words, by connecting the switching valve body 11 and the pilot drive unit 12 with such a bracket 13, it is possible to suppress significant differences in strength in the switching valve 10 with respect to the directionality of external forces.

Here, in this embodiment, the reinforcing portion 132 has a connection width W11 that extends from the end portion 131a-1 on the valve body side 13a of the side edge 131a of the retaining plate 131 to a portion 131a-2 on the pilot side 13b beyond the center portion 131c-1 of the shortest portion 131c. By connecting a pair of retaining plates 131 with such a connection width W11, the length of the portion of the side edge 131a of the retaining plate 131 that is not supported by the reinforcing portion 132 is reduced, and the significant difference in strength in relation to the direction of an external force can be further reduced.

In addition, in this embodiment, the edge 131b-2 of the pilot side 13b of each retaining plate 131 is provided with a first recess 131d that receives the retained portion 123b of the valve portion 123. At this time, the connection width W11 of the reinforcing portion 132 is the width from the end 131a-1 of the valve body side 13a of the side edge 131a of the retaining plate 131 to the portion 131a-2 that overlaps with the first recess 131d in the erecting direction D14. Then, the edges 132a-1, 132b-1 of the pilot side 13b of this reinforcing portion 132 are provided with a high-pressure side second recess 132a-2 and a low-pressure side second recess 132b-2 so that the thin tube passes through the inside.

According to this configuration, first, the connection portion 123a of the thin tube, which is desirably protected from external forces in the valve portion 123, can be firmly held by the pair of holding plates 131. In addition, the reinforcing portion 132 connecting the side edges 131a of the holding plates 131 supports the side edges 131a of the holding plates 131 with a connection width W11 that reaches the portion overlapping with the first recess 131d, thereby increasing the holding strength of the pair of holding plates 131. Furthermore, since the reinforcing portion 132 is provided with the high-pressure side second recess 132a-2 and the low-pressure side second recess 132b-2, the reinforcing portion 132 can effectively avoid interference between the reinforcing portion 132 and the thin tube while increasing the holding strength.

In addition, in this embodiment, the bracket 13 is provided with a pair of reinforcing parts 132 that connect the pair of retaining plates 131 to each other, connecting the pair of side edges 131a. This configuration can further reduce significant differences in strength due to the directionality of external forces.

In addition, in this embodiment, the bracket 13 further includes a body-side fixing portion 133 that connects the ends 131b-1 of the valve body side 13a between the pair of retaining plates 131 and is fixed by surface contact to the outer surface of the switching valve body 11. With this configuration, the valve portion 123, i.e., the pilot drive portion 12, can be firmly fixed to the switching valve body 11 via the bracket 13 by surface contact between the body-side fixing portion 133 of the bracket 13 and the outer surface of the switching valve body 11.

In addition, in this embodiment, the main body side fixing portion 133 is formed in a strip shape that connects across the entire width of the retaining plate 131, and the reinforcing portion 132 has its end edges 132a-3, 132b-3 connected to the main body side fixing portion 133. With this configuration, the support strength of the reinforcing portion 132 for the retaining plate 131 is strengthened, and the significant difference in strength in response to the directional external force in the switching valve 10 can be further suppressed.

In addition, in this embodiment, the bracket 13 is integrally formed to have a rectangular box shape with a pair of retaining plates 131, a pair of reinforcing parts 132, and a main body side fixing part 133. This configuration can further reduce significant differences in strength against the direction of external forces in the switching valve 10. In addition, such a rectangular box-shaped bracket 13 can be formed by press processing, which has low processing costs, so the manufacturing costs of the switching valve 10 including the bracket 13 can be reduced.

This concludes the explanation of the first embodiment. Next, we will explain several variations on the first embodiment.

Figure 6 shows the first modified example alongside the first embodiment. Figure 6(A) shows the first embodiment, and Figure 6(B) shows the first modified example. Note that in Figure 6, each component is shown in a simplified schematic diagram, and the same reference numerals are used to designate elements that are equivalent between the first modified example and the first embodiment.

In the first modified example, the mounting orientation of the stainless steel bracket 13-1 relative to the switching valve body 11 and the valve portion 123 of the pilot drive unit 12 differs from the mounting orientation of the bracket 13 in the first embodiment. In FIG. 6, the switching valve body 11 and the valve portion 123 are depicted diagrammatically as a single rectangle, and the brackets 13-1, 13 are depicted diagrammatically as a pair of small rectangles representing a pair of retaining plates 131.

The bracket 13 of the first embodiment described above is attached to the switching valve body 11 and the valve portion 123 with the opposing direction D13 of the pair of retaining plates 131 aligned with the axial direction D11 of the switching valve body 11 and the axial direction D12 of the valve portion 123. In contrast, the bracket 13-1 of the first modified example is attached to the switching valve body 11 and the valve portion 123 with the opposing direction D13 of the pair of retaining plates 131 aligned at right angles to the axial direction D11 of the switching valve body 11 and the axial direction D12 of the valve portion 123.

It goes without saying that the first modified example described above can also suppress significant differences in strength depending on the direction of the external force, just like the first embodiment described above.

Figure 7 shows the second and third modified examples alongside the first embodiment. Figure 7(A) shows the first embodiment, Figure 7(B) shows the second modified example, and Figure 7(C) shows the third modified example. Note that in Figure 7 as well, each component is shown in a simplified schematic diagram. In Figure 7, the switching valve body 11 and the valve portion 123 are each depicted typically as a rectangle, and the brackets 13-2, 13-3, and 13 are depicted typically as a pair of small rectangles representing a pair of retaining plates 131. Additionally, the same reference numerals are used for components of the second and third modified examples that are equivalent to those of the first embodiment.

In the first embodiment described above, first, the bracket 13 is attached to the valve portion 123 of the pilot drive unit 12 so that the axial direction D12 of the valve portion 123 coincides with the opposing direction D13 of the retaining plate 131. Then, via this bracket 13, the valve portion 123 is attached to the switching valve body 11 in an orientation in which the axial direction D12 of the valve portion 123 and the axial direction D11 of the switching valve body 11 are parallel.

In contrast, in the second modified example, the mounting orientation of the stainless steel bracket 13-2 relative to the valve portion 123 of the pilot drive unit 12 is the same as in the first embodiment. On the other hand, the mounting orientation of the valve portion 123 relative to the switching valve body 11 via the bracket 13-2 differs from that in the first embodiment. In this second modified example, the valve portion 123 is mounted to the switching valve body 11 with both the opposing direction D13 of the retaining plate 131 in the bracket 13-2 and the axial direction D12 of the valve portion 123 perpendicular to the axial direction D11 of the switching valve body 11.

In addition, in the third modified example, the orientation of the stainless steel bracket 13-3 attached to the valve portion 123 of the pilot drive unit 12 differs from that of the first embodiment and the second modified example. The bracket 13-3 is attached to the valve portion 123 at the tip of the axial direction D12 of the valve portion 123 with the opposing direction D13 of the retaining plate 131 oriented perpendicular to the axial direction D12. The valve portion 123 is attached to the switching valve body 11 with the opposing direction D13 of the retaining plate 131 in the bracket 13-2 parallel to the axial direction D11 of the switching valve body 11 and the axial direction D12 of the valve portion 123 oriented perpendicular to the axial direction D11 of the switching valve body 11. In this third modified example, the valve portion 123 is attached in an upside-down position to the switching valve body 11.

It goes without saying that the second and third modified examples described above can also suppress significant differences in strength depending on the direction of the external force, just like the first embodiment described above.

The mounting orientation of the bracket and the relative positional relationship between the pilot-driven valve portion and the switching valve body are not limited to those exemplified in the first embodiment and the first to third modified examples described above, and can be set arbitrarily depending on the installation environment of the switching valve, etc.

Figure 8 shows the bracket of the fourth modified example in cross section of each part similar to that of Figure 5. Note that in Figure 8, only the elements necessary for the explanation of the components equivalent to those of the bracket 13 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 5 are shown with the same reference numerals as in Figure 5. Below, a duplicate explanation of these equivalent components will be omitted. Figure 8 shows cross sections of bracket 13-4 taken along lines V14-V14, V15-V15, and V16-V16 in Figure 8.

The stainless steel bracket 13-4 in the fourth modified example differs from the first embodiment in the shape of a pair of reinforcing parts 132-4. The reinforcing parts 132-4 in this modified example connect the side edges 131a of a pair of retaining plates 131 together with the valve body side 13a spaced apart from the body side fixing part 133 in the erection direction D14. The rest of the configuration is the same as in the first embodiment.

It goes without saying that in the fourth modified example described above, as in the first embodiment, the reinforcing portion 132-4 can suppress significant differences in strength depending on the direction of the external force.

Next, the second embodiment will be described. Note that the refrigeration cycle system of this embodiment is the same as the refrigeration cycle system 1 of the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2, so illustration and description will be omitted. This also applies to the third to fifth embodiments described below.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing the bracket in the switching valve of the second embodiment together with the pilot drive unit. Figure 10 is a diagram showing the bracket shown in Figure 9 in cross section of each part. Figure 10 shows cross sections of bracket 23 along lines V21-V21, V22-V22, and V23-V23 in Figure 10. Note that in Figures 9 and 10, components equivalent to those of the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 are given the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 5, and duplicated explanations of these equivalent components will be omitted below.

In the switching valve 20 of the second embodiment, the shape of the stainless steel bracket 23 is different from that of the first embodiment described above. That is, the bracket 23 of this embodiment is provided with only one reinforcing part 232 that connects the pair of holding plates 131 to each other. This reinforcing part 232 connects only one of the pair of side edges 131a of each holding plate 131. Also in this embodiment, the reinforcing part 232 is connected to the main body side fixing part 133.

The reinforcing portion 232 is provided in a position closer to the switching valve body 11 than the pilot side 13b that holds the valve portion 123 of the pilot drive unit 12 in the pair of holding plates 131 in the vertical installation direction D14. In this embodiment, the bracket 23 is provided with a holding space 23c that receives and holds the thin tube connection portion 123a of the valve portion 123 in a position farther from the switching valve body 11 than the reinforcing portion 232 in the vertical installation direction D14. This holding space 23c is partitioned by the pilot side 13b of the pair of holding plates 131 with the thin tube extension opening 23d open so that the thin tube extending from the thin tube connection portion 123a extends outside the bracket 23 avoiding the reinforcing portion 232.

Of the thin tube extension ports 23d, the low-pressure side extension port 23d-1 from which the three thin tubes, the low-pressure joint thin tube 16s, the first housing thin tube 16L, and the second housing thin tube 16R, extend is an opening on the side of the bracket 23 where the reinforcing portion 232 is not provided. This side of the bracket 23 is open over almost the entire surface in the vertical installation direction D14, and the pilot side 13b of this open portion is the low-pressure side extension port 23d-1 from which the three thin tubes, including the low-pressure joint thin tube 16s, extend. On the other hand, the high-pressure side extension port 23d-2 from which the high-pressure joint thin tube 16d (see FIG. 4) extends is a portion that opens at a position farther from the switching valve body 11 than the reinforcing portion 232 in the vertical installation direction D14 on the side of the bracket 23 where the reinforcing portion 232 is provided. The position of the reinforcing portion 232 is not limited to the high pressure side extension outlet 23d-2 side as in this embodiment, but may be provided on the low pressure side extension outlet 23d-1 side.

According to the second embodiment described above, it goes without saying that the function of the single reinforcing portion 232 makes it possible to suppress significant differences in strength with respect to the direction of an external force, as in the first embodiment described above.

In addition, in this embodiment, the reinforcing portion 232 is provided at a position biased toward the switching valve body 11. The holding space 23c that receives and holds the thin tube connection portion 123a is defined by the pilot side 13b of the pair of holding plates 131 with the above-mentioned two thin tube extension ports 23d open. With this configuration, the thin tube connection portion 123a, which is desired to be protected from external forces, can be received and firmly held in the above-mentioned holding space 23c while effectively avoiding interference between the reinforcing portion 232 and the thin tube.

Next, we will explain the third embodiment.

Figure 11 is a diagram showing the bracket in the switching valve of the third embodiment together with the pilot drive unit. Figure 12 is a diagram showing the bracket shown in Figure 11 in cross section of each part. Figure 12 shows cross sections of bracket 33 along lines V31-V31, V32-V32, and V33-V33 in Figure 12. Note that in Figures 11 and 12, components equivalent to those of the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 are given the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 5, and duplicated explanations of these equivalent components will be omitted below.

The third embodiment of the switching valve 30 differs from the first embodiment described above in that the stainless steel bracket 33 is composed of two parts, a pilot joint 33-1 and a main body joint 33-2, which are assembled in the vertical direction D14.

Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of each part of the pilot joint shown in Figure 12. Figure 13 shows cross sections of pilot joint 33-1 taken along lines V34-V34, V35-V35, and V36-V36 in Figure 13. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of each part of the main body joint shown in Figure 12. Figure 14 shows cross sections of main body joint 33-2 taken along lines V37-V37, V38-V38, and V39-V39 in Figure 14.

The pilot joint 33-1 constitutes the pilot side 13b of the bracket 33 and is a member that holds the valve part 123 of the pilot drive unit 12, and is provided with a pair of holding plates 131 and a pair of reinforcing parts 132 equivalent to those in the first embodiment. However, the holding plates 131 and reinforcing parts 132 in this embodiment are slightly shorter in length in the erection direction D14 than in the first embodiment, because the valve body side 13a of the bracket 33 is constituted by the body joint 33-2, which is a separate part. The reinforcing parts 132 are constituted by the high pressure side reinforcing part 132a and the low pressure side reinforcing part 132b, as in the first embodiment. The pilot joint 33-1 is provided with an intermediate bottom plate 331 to which the respective edges of the valve body side 13a of the pair of holding plates 131 and the pair of reinforcing parts 132 are connected, and is integrally molded to form a rectangular box shape as a whole.

The main body joint 33-2 constitutes the valve main body side 13a of the bracket 33 as described above, and is fixed to the outer surface of the switching valve main body 11. It is a socket-shaped member that receives the pilot joint 33-1 and to which the pilot joint 33-1 is fixed. The pilot joint 33-1 is fixed to the main body joint 33-2 by brazing or welding. The main body joint 33-2 includes a main body side fixing part 133 equivalent to that of the first embodiment and a peripheral wall part 332 erected on its outer periphery, and is integrally molded to form a rectangular box shape as a whole.

It goes without saying that the third embodiment described above also makes it possible to suppress significant differences in strength with respect to the direction of an external force, as in the first embodiment described above, by virtue of the function of the pair of reinforcing parts 132 in the pilot joint 33-1.

In addition, in this embodiment, the bracket 33 is composed of two parts: a pilot joint 33-1 and a main body joint 33-2. With this configuration, by adjusting the insertion amount of the pilot joint 33-1 into the main body joint 33-2 according to the size of the pilot drive unit 12, the two can be connected while adjusting the support position of the valve portion 123 relative to the outer surface of the switching valve main body 11.

Next, we will explain the fourth embodiment.

Figure 15 is a diagram showing the bracket in the switching valve of the fourth embodiment together with the pilot drive unit. Figure 16 is a diagram showing the bracket shown in Figure 15 in cross section at each part. Figure 16 shows cross sections of bracket 43 along lines V41-V41, V42-V42, and V43-V43 in Figure 16. Note that in Figures 15 and 16, components equivalent to those of the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 are given the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 5, and duplicated explanations of these equivalent components will be omitted below.

In the fourth embodiment of the switching valve 40, the reinforcing portion 432 in the stainless steel bracket 43 is different from that in the first embodiment. This reinforcing portion 432 is a round bar-shaped portion, not a plate. In this embodiment, a single round bar-shaped reinforcing portion 432 is provided to connect the centers of the shortest portions 131e of a pair of holding plates 131 that support the valve portion 123 of the pilot drive unit 12 on the pilot side 13b in the vertical installation direction D14. On the other hand, the pair of holding plates 131, together with the body side fixing portion 133 fixed to the outer surface of the switching valve body 11, form a U-shaped bent shape in a side view of the reinforcing portion 432. In the pair of holding plates 131, a holding space 43c for the valve portion 123 is formed at a position farther from the valve body side 13a than the reinforcing portion 432 in the vertical installation direction D14.

It goes without saying that the fourth embodiment described above also suppresses significant differences in strength with respect to the direction of external force, as in the first embodiment, by virtue of the function of the single round bar-shaped reinforcing portion 432.

Next, we will explain the fifth embodiment.

Figure 17 is a diagram showing the bracket in the switching valve of the fifth embodiment together with the pilot drive unit. Figure 18 is a diagram showing the bracket shown in Figure 17 in cross section at each part. Figure 18 shows cross sections of bracket 53 along lines V51-V51, V52-V52, and V53-V53 in Figure 18. Note that in Figures 17 and 18, components equivalent to those of the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5 are given the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 5, and duplicated explanations of these equivalent components will be omitted below.

In the fifth embodiment of the switching valve 50, the stainless steel bracket 53 does not have a bottom plate-like portion corresponding to the main body side fixing portion 133 in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, a pair of holding plates 131 that support the valve portion 123 of the pilot drive unit 12 on the pilot side 13b have recesses along the outer surface of the switching valve main body 11 at their end edges on the valve main body side 13a. The bracket 53 is fixed by brazing or welding, with the recesses on the end edges on the valve main body side 13a abutting against the outer surface of the switching valve main body 11. In this embodiment, the pair of reinforcing portions 532 are formed in a band-like shape that connects the side edges 131a extending in the erection direction D14 of the holding plates 131 at a position where a gap is opened between them and the outer surface of the switching valve main body 11.

It goes without saying that in the fifth embodiment described above, the pair of reinforcing parts 532 function to suppress significant differences in strength with respect to the direction of an external force, as in the first embodiment described above.

The first to fifth embodiments and the first to fourth modifications of the first embodiment described above are merely representative forms of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these. In other words, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the gist of the invention. As long as such modifications still have the configuration of the switching valve and refrigeration cycle system of the present invention, they are of course included in the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above-mentioned first to fifth embodiments and first to fourth modified examples, the switching valves 10, ..., 50 are exemplified as four-way switching valves that switch the communication state of four joint pipes as an example of a switching valve. However, the switching valve is not limited to a four-way switching valve. As long as the switching valve switches the communication state of multiple joint pipes using a slide valve body, it may be, for example, a three-way switching valve that uses a slide valve body to switch the joint pipe to be connected when connecting a pair of joint pipes out of three joint pipes. Or, it may be a two-way switching valve that uses a slide valve body to open and close the connection between two joint pipes. The number of joint pipes in the switching valve and the method of switching the communication state can be set appropriately depending on the application of the switching valve.

In the above-mentioned first to third embodiments, the reinforcing portion is exemplified by a band-shaped reinforcing portion 132, 232 having the following connection width. That is, the connection width W11 of the reinforcing portion 132 in the first embodiment is the connection width W11 from the end 131a-1 of the valve body side 13a of the side edge 131a of the retaining plate 131 to the part 131a-2 on the pilot side 13b beyond the center 131c-1 of the shortest part 131c. The connection width of the reinforcing portions 132, 232 in the second and third embodiments is also similar to that of the first embodiment. However, the reinforcing portion is not limited to these. The reinforcing portion may be a band-shaped portion having a narrow connection width in which the valve body side 13a is separated from the body side fixing portion 133 and the outer surface of the switching valve body 11, as exemplified in the fifth embodiment and the fourth modified example, for example. The reinforcing portion may be a strip-shaped portion having a narrow connecting width such that the pilot side 13b coincides with the center 131c-1 of the shortest portion 131c, or is closer to the valve body side 13a than the center 131c-1. Alternatively, the reinforcing portion does not have to be strip-shaped, and can be set to any shape, such as a round bar as exemplified in the fourth embodiment, or a square bar. However, as described above, the strip-shaped reinforcing portion 132, 232 having the above connecting width W11 can further reduce the significant difference in strength with respect to the direction of external force.

In the first and third embodiments described above, a band-shaped reinforcing part 132 having the following connection width is exemplified as an example of the reinforcing part. That is, the connection width W11 of the reinforcing part 132 in the first embodiment is the width from the end 131a-1 of the valve body side 13a of the side edge 131a of the retaining plate 131 to the part 131a-2 overlapping with the first recess 131d in the erection direction D14. The connection width of the reinforcing part 132 in the third embodiment is also similar to that of the first embodiment. However, the reinforcing part is not limited to these. The reinforcing part may be a band-shaped part having a narrow connection width in which the pilot side 13b is located closer to the valve body side 13a than the first recess 131d, as exemplified in the second and fifth embodiments, for example. In addition, the reinforcing part may be a narrow band-shaped part in which the valve body side 13a is separated from the body side fixing part 133 or the outer surface of the switching valve body 11, as described above, or may be a part of a shape other than a band. However, as mentioned above, the band-shaped reinforcing parts 132, 232 with the above-mentioned connection width W11 can further reduce significant differences in strength due to the directional nature of external forces.

In the above-mentioned first and third embodiments and fourth modified example, the reinforcing portion 132-4 is provided with a second recess, such as the high-pressure side second recess 132a-2 and the low-pressure side second recess 132b-2 for the passage of the thin tube. However, the reinforcing portion is not limited to these, and may be formed in a shape that avoids the thin tube without providing a second recess, as exemplified in the second, fourth and fifth embodiments. However, as described above, the reinforcing portion 132-4 provided with the second recess can further reduce the significant difference in strength while effectively avoiding interference between the reinforcing portion 132-4 and the thin tube.

In the second, fourth, and fifth embodiments described above, the reinforcement portion 232, 432, and 532 are exemplified as an example of the reinforcement portion, which is provided at a position closer to the switching valve body 11 than the pilot side 13b in the vertical installation direction D14. However, the reinforcement portion is not limited to these, and may be provided at a position overlapping with the pilot side 13b in the vertical installation direction D14, as exemplified in the first, third, and fourth modified embodiments. However, as described above, interference between the reinforcement portion 132-4 and the thin tube can be effectively avoided by providing the reinforcement portion 232, 432, and 532 at a position closer to the switching valve body 11 than the pilot side 13b.

In the above-mentioned first, third, and fifth embodiments, brackets 13, 33, and 53 each having a pair of reinforcing parts 132 and 532 are exemplified as an example of a bracket. However, the bracket is not limited to this, and for example, as exemplified in the second and fourth embodiments and the fourth modified example, only one reinforcing part 232, 432, and 132-4 may be provided. However, as described above, by providing a pair of reinforcing parts 132 and 532, the significant difference in strength with respect to the direction of an external force can be further suppressed.

In addition, in the above-mentioned first to fourth embodiments and the fourth modified example, brackets 13, ..., 43, 13-4 equipped with a body side fixing portion 133 are exemplified as an example of a bracket. However, the bracket is not limited to this, and for example, as exemplified in the fifth embodiment, the valve body side 13a of the retaining plate 131 may be fixed directly to the outer surface of the switching valve body 11 without providing a body side fixing portion. However, as described above, by providing the body side fixing portion 133, the pilot drive unit 12 can be firmly fixed.

In the above-mentioned first and second embodiments, brackets 13 and 23 in which the edge of the strip-shaped reinforcing portion 132, 232 is connected to the main body side fixing portion 133 are exemplified as an example of a bracket. However, the bracket is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in the fourth modified example, even if the reinforcing portion 132-4 is formed in a strip shape and the main body side fixing portion 133 is provided, the two may be separated to form the bracket 13-4. However, as described above, by connecting the reinforcing portion 132, 232 to the main body side fixing portion 133, the significant difference in strength against the directional external force in the switching valve 10 can be further suppressed.

In the first embodiment described above, the bracket 13 is an example of a bracket that is integrally molded to have a rectangular box shape with a pair of retaining plates 131, a pair of reinforcing parts 132, and a main body side fixing part 133. However, the bracket is not limited to this, and may be formed into a shape other than a rectangular box, for example, with the retaining plates and reinforcing parts erected in the form of ribs on the surface of the wider main body side fixing part. In this case, the retaining plates and reinforcing parts are connected to the surface of the main body side fixing part by brazing or welding. However, as described above, the bracket 13 as an integrally molded part in a rectangular box shape can be formed by press processing, which has low processing costs, and therefore manufacturing costs can be reduced.

1 Refrigeration cycle system 1a Compressor 1b Outdoor heat exchanger (first heat exchanger)
1c Indoor heat exchanger (second heat exchanger)
1d Throttle device (expansion means)
10, 20, 30, 40, 50 Switching valve 11 Switching valve body 11a Valve chamber 11b First working chamber 11c Second working chamber 12 Pilot drive section 13, 13-1, 13-2, 13-3, 13-4, 23, 33, 43, 53 Bracket 13a Valve body side 13b Pilot side 13c, 23c, 43c Holding space 13d, 23d Capillary tube extension port 15c C joint tube 15d D joint tube 15e E joint tube 15s S joint tube 16d Capillary tube for high pressure joint 16s Capillary tube for low pressure joint 16L Capillary tube for first housing 16R Capillary tube for second housing 23d-1 Low pressure side extension port 23d-2 High pressure side extension port 33-1 Pilot joint 33-2 Body joint 111 Valve housing 112 Slide valve 113 Valve seat 114L, 114R Piston 115 Connecting plate 116 Valve body 116a Bowl-shaped recess 121 Body portion 122 Coil portion 123 Valve portion 123a Connection portion 123b Retained portion 131 Retaining plate 131a, 132a-3, 132b-3 Side edge 131a-1 End portion 131a-2 Part 131b, 131b-1, 131b-2, 132a-1, 132b-1, 132a-3, 132b-3 End edge 131c Shortest portion 131c-1 Central portion 131d First recess 132-4, 232, 432, 532 Reinforcement portion 132a High pressure side reinforcement portion 132a-2 High pressure side second recess 132b Low pressure side reinforcement portion 132b-2 Low pressure side second recess 133 Main body side fixing portion 331 Intermediate bottom plate 332 Peripheral wall portion D11, D12 Axial direction D13 Opposing direction D14 Upright direction D15 Width direction X Axis line

Claims (8)

a switching valve body having a built-in slide valve and switching a flow path state in response to the sliding of the slide valve;
A pilot drive portion for sliding the slide valve;
a bracket that connects the pilot drive unit to the switching valve body;
Equipped with
The bracket is
a pair of holding plates each of which is a pair of plate portions erected on an outer surface of the switching valve body and arranged opposite to each other in a predetermined opposing direction, with one end side of each plate portion being fixed to the outer surface as a valve body side of the bracket in the erecting direction intersecting with the outer surface of the switching valve body, and the other end side being a pilot side of the bracket and holding the pilot drive unit on the pilot side;
A reinforcing portion extending in the opposing direction and connecting the pair of holding plates to each other;
Equipped with
A thin tube through which a driving fluid used for sliding the slide valve passes is connected to the pilot driving portion,
each plate portion of the pair of holding plates has a pair of side edges extending in the vertical direction and a pair of end edges extending in a width direction intersecting the vertical direction, and the pilot side end edge is provided with a first recess that is recessed toward the valve body and receives a held portion adjacent to the connection portion of the thin tube in the pilot drive portion;
a valve body having a connecting width extending from an end portion of the reinforcing portion on the pilot side to a portion overlapping with the first recess in the erection direction, the reinforcing portion being formed in a band-like shape that connects at least one of the pair of side edges of each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates with a connecting width extending from the end portion on the valve body side to a portion overlapping with the first recess in the erection direction, and the pilot side end edge of the reinforcing portion is recessed toward the valve body, and a second recess is provided so that the thin tube extending from the connection portion of the pilot drive portion passes inside the second recess . Each plate portion of the pair of holding plates has a pair of side edges extending in the vertical direction and a pair of end edges extending in a width direction intersecting the vertical direction, and at least one of the pair of end edges is concavely curved so as to form a shortest portion at which the distance between the end edges in the vertical direction is shortest,
2. The switching valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing portion is formed in a band-like shape connecting at least one of the pair of side edges of each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates with a connecting width from the end portion on the valve body side to a portion that is on the pilot side in the vertical direction relative to the center of the shortest portion in the vertical direction. A thin tube through which a driving fluid used for sliding the slide valve passes is connected to the pilot driving portion,
the reinforcing portion is provided at a position closer to the switching valve body than the pilot side that holds the pilot drive portion in the pair of holding plates in the erecting direction,
The switching valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that the bracket receives and holds the connection portion of the thin tube in the pilot drive portion at a position farther from the switching valve body than the reinforcement portion in the vertical installation direction, and a holding space in which a thin tube extension outlet is opened so that the thin tube extending from the connection portion extends outside the bracket, avoiding the reinforcement portion, is partitioned by the pilot side of each plate portion of the pair of holding plates. Each plate portion of the pair of holding plates has a pair of side edges extending in the vertical direction and a pair of end edges extending in a width direction intersecting the vertical direction,
2. The switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the bracket is provided with a pair of reinforcing portions between the pair of holding plates so as to connect the pair of side edges of each plate portion to each other. Each plate portion of the pair of holding plates has a pair of side edges extending in the vertical direction and a pair of end edges extending in a width direction intersecting the vertical direction,
A switching valve as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the bracket is formed in a band-like shape extending in the opposing direction between the pair of retaining plates so as to connect the ends of the pair of ends of each plate portion that are on the valve body side, and further comprises a body-side fixing portion that is face-fixed to the outer surface of the switching valve body. the body-side fixing portion is formed in a strip shape connecting the valve body-side end edges of the respective plate portions of the pair of retaining plates over the entire width of each plate portion,
The switching valve described in claim 5, characterized in that the reinforcing portion is formed in a band-like shape that connects at least one of the pair of side edges of each plate portion of the pair of retaining plates with a connecting width that extends from the end portion on the valve body side to a portion that is at a predetermined height in the vertical direction, and the edge connecting the ends on the valve body side is connected to the body side fixing portion . The switching valve described in claim 6, characterized in that the bracket is provided with a pair of reinforcing portions between the pair of retaining plates so as to connect the pair of side edges of each plate portion to each other, and the bracket is integrally molded so as to have a rectangular box shape with the pair of retaining plates, the pair of reinforcing portions, and the main body side fixed portion as outer walls, and the pilot side is opened. A refrigeration cycle system comprising a compressor for compressing a fluid refrigerant, a first heat exchanger functioning as a condenser in a cooling mode, a second heat exchanger functioning as an evaporator in a cooling mode, an expansion means for expanding and reducing the pressure of the refrigerant between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and the switching valve according to claim 1.

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