JP7627644B2 - Slide type switching valve - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a slide-type switching valve.

Conventionally, switching valves that switch the flow path of a fluid have been used as valve devices for refrigeration cycles and the like. Among these switching valves, there is a slide-type switching valve that has a valve seat with a valve port on a cylindrical valve body, and switches the communication state of the valve port with a valve body that can slide axially on the valve seat.

Here, although it is not a slide-type switching valve, a valve device is known in which the valve element is driven forward and backward in the axial direction to seat and unseat the valve element on the valve seat (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This valve device is an electric valve that drives the valve element electrically, and its drive unit includes a motor unit that generates a rotational drive force and a linear motion mechanism that converts the rotational drive force into a linear drive force. The linear motion mechanism is a screw feed mechanism that has a screw shaft (male screw) fixed to the rotor of the motor unit and a female screw portion that screws into the screw shaft. The screw shaft and the valve element in the screw feed mechanism are connected, and the drive force is transmitted to the valve element to drive the valve element forward and backward. At this time, the screw shaft and the valve element are indirectly connected via a ball bearing, so that the rotation of the screw shaft is not transmitted to the valve element.

JP 2016-089870 A

It is conceivable that a drive unit such as that described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 could be applied to drive the valve body in a slide-type switching valve, and drive the valve body for switching flow paths back and forth in the axial direction. However, the above-mentioned drive unit requires members and mechanisms, such as ball bearings, for the connection mechanism with the valve body to prevent the rotation of the screw shaft from being transmitted to the valve body, which tends to increase the number of parts.

The object of the present invention is to provide a slide-type switching valve that can drive the valve body back and forth using the driving force from the motor unit while minimizing the increase in the number of parts.

A slide type switching valve that solves the above-mentioned problems is a slide type switching valve including a hollow cylindrical valve body, a valve seat portion having one or more valve ports provided in the valve body, a valve element that is provided inside the valve body so as to be slidable in the axial direction on the valve seat portion and switches the communication state of the valve port, and a drive portion that drives the valve element, wherein the drive portion includes a motor portion having a rotatable rotor, a male screw member that is fixed directly or indirectly to the rotor and extends in the axial direction, and a drive portion that screws into the male screw member to rotate the male screw member. and a guide member immovably disposed relative to a case that seals the inside of the drive unit and that guides the female screw member to move forward and backward, wherein the female screw member has a connecting arm portion that extends in the axial direction and is connected to the valve body, and the guide member has a rotation regulating portion that regulates rotation around the axis while inserting the connecting arm portion in the axial direction, and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having a bottom on the side of the valve body, and a bearing portion that supports an end of the male screw member is provided at the bottom.

According to the above-mentioned slide-type switching valve, when the valve body is driven back and forth by the driving force from the motor unit, the guide member serves both as a forward and backward guide for the female screw member and as a rotation restriction for the connecting arm unit, thereby suppressing an increase in the number of parts. In other words, according to the above-mentioned slide-type switching valve, the valve body can be driven back and forth by the driving force from the motor unit while suppressing an increase in the number of parts.

As described above, the guide member is formed in a bottomed tubular shape having a bottom on the valve body side, and a bearing portion is provided at the bottom for supporting the end of the male screw member . With this configuration, the guide member also serves as a support for the end of the male screw member, further reducing the number of parts.
It is also preferable that the bottom portion of the guide member is provided with an insertion hole through which the connecting arm portion is inserted to serve as the rotation restricting portion.

The base end of the connecting arm of the female screw member is preferably provided with an abutment portion capable of abutting against the guide member, and the abutment portion preferably functions as a positioning stopper that abuts against the guide member when the valve element reaches a switching position away from the drive unit. With this configuration, it is possible to regulate the position of the valve element at the switching position without providing a stopper structure for the valve element in the valve body near the valve element, thereby preventing the structure of the valve body and the valve element from becoming complicated.

It is also preferable that a plurality of the connecting arms are provided on the female screw member, and the rotation restriction portion is configured with a plurality of insertion holes through which the plurality of connecting arms are inserted in a distributed manner. With this configuration, the rotation restriction is performed without providing additional parts by distributing the plurality of connecting arms through a plurality of insertion holes, and an increase in the number of parts can be further suppressed.

It is also preferable that the two connecting arms are provided on the female thread member so as to be symmetrical with respect to a plane including the axis, and the rotation restricting portion is provided at a position eccentric to the axis and is configured with a pair of insertion holes through which the two connecting arms are inserted one-to-one. With this configuration, the number of connecting arms and insertion holes related to rotation restriction is kept to a minimum, thereby reducing the processing costs of the connecting arms and insertion holes, etc.

The female screw member and the valve body are connected via a shaft member that spans two of the connecting arms selected from the multiple connecting arms, and at least one of the two connecting arms and the valve body is preferably provided with an engagement groove that engages the shaft member so that it cannot move in the axial direction but can move freely in the radial direction. With this configuration, the connecting arm and the valve body are connected with a simple configuration in which the engagement groove is engaged with the shaft member, thereby reducing assembly costs and the like related to the connection.

It is also preferable to further provide an opening restriction member that restricts the displacement of the multiple connecting arms in a direction away from each other. This configuration prevents the multiple connecting arms of the female screw member from being subjected to a torsional load that causes them to move away from each other as the male screw member rotates, thereby improving the drive accuracy of the female screw member and the valve body.

It is also preferable that the opening restriction member is a fastening band that restricts the displacement by bundling the multiple connecting arms. With this configuration, the displacement of the connecting arms is restricted with a simple structure that uses inexpensive parts such as fastening bands, so that the parts costs and assembly costs related to the displacement restriction can be reduced.

The opening restriction member is preferably provided on the valve body so as to protrude in the axial direction toward the female screw member in a cylindrical shape, and includes a housing tube that houses the ends of the multiple connecting arms on the valve body side, and a through pin that penetrates the peripheral wall of the housing tube and the ends of the multiple connecting arms in a direction intersecting the axial direction, and the multiple connecting arms are connected to the valve body and the displacement is restricted by the housing of the ends in the housing tube and the penetration of the through pin. According to this configuration, a single configuration using the housing tube and through pin in the valve body connects the connecting arms to the valve body and restricts the displacement of the connecting arms, so that parts costs and assembly costs related to the connection and displacement restriction can be reduced.

The opening restriction member is provided on the valve body so as to protrude in the axial direction toward the female screw member in a cylindrical shape, and includes a housing tube that houses the ends of the multiple connecting arms on the valve body side, a clamped protrusion that protrudes in the axial direction on the inside of the housing tube on the valve body so as to be sandwiched between the ends of the multiple connecting arms, and a C-ring that houses and tightens the ends of the multiple connecting arms inside the housing tube with the clamped protrusions sandwiched between them, and it is preferable that the multiple connecting arms are connected to the valve body and the displacement is restricted by the housing of the ends in the housing tube and the tightening by the C-ring. According to this configuration, the connection between the connecting arms and the valve body and the displacement restriction of the connecting arms are performed together by a single configuration using the housing tube, the clamped protrusion, and the C-ring in the valve body, so that the parts costs and assembly costs related to the connection and the displacement restriction can be reduced.

It is also preferable that the valve body is formed with an elliptical bowl-shaped recess extending in the axial direction, the opening edge of the bowl-shaped recess is a seal portion, the seal portion is capable of sliding contact with the seal surface of the valve seat portion, and the valve port is provided in the valve seat portion so as to open onto the seal surface. With this configuration, even in a slide-type switching valve in which a valve body having a bowl-shaped recess is used to switch the communication state of the valve port, the valve body can be driven forward and backward by the driving force from the motor portion without increasing the number of parts.

The above-mentioned slide-type switching valve allows the valve body to be driven back and forth by the driving force from the motor unit without increasing the number of parts.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a slide type switching valve according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the drive unit shown in FIG. 1 taken along line V11-V11 in FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the valve body shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the female threaded member shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . 1 and 2, which guides the female-threaded member shown in FIG. 4 in the axial direction. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the fastening band shown in FIG. 1 . 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing a first stage in the procedure for attaching the fastening band; FIG. 1A to 1C are cross-sectional views showing second to fourth steps in a procedure for attaching the fastening band. 11A to 11C are schematic diagrams showing first to third modified examples of the opening restricting member. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth modification of the opening restricting member; FIG.

The following describes a slide-type switching valve according to one embodiment of the present invention with reference to Figures 1 to 8.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a slide-type switching valve according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the drive unit shown in Figure 1 taken along line V11-V11 in Figure 1. Also, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the valve body shown in Figure 1.

The slide type switching valve 1 according to this embodiment is a slide type switching valve that is connected to a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser in a refrigeration cycle or the like, and switches the flow path of the refrigerant flowing through these devices. The slide type switching valve 1 includes a hollow cylindrical valve body 2, a valve seat portion 3 provided in the valve body 2 and having multiple valve ports, a valve body 4 provided inside the valve body 2 so as to be able to slide in the axial line L direction, and a drive portion 5 that drives the valve body 4 to slide. In this embodiment, the vertical direction in Figures 1 to 3 is the vertical direction of the slide type switching valve 1. That is, one side of the axial line L direction of the slide type switching valve 1 is the upper side, and the other side is the lower side. This is merely for convenience of explanation, and does not necessarily match the vertical direction in the actual use state of the slide type switching valve 1, and does not limit the vertical direction in the actual use state of the slide type switching valve 1.

The valve body 2 is formed of a resin material in a cylindrical shape with a bottom so that the tip portion extends upward, and its interior forms the valve chamber 2a. An inlet port A is formed in the bottom wall of the valve body 2, which communicates with the inside and outside of the valve chamber 2a. The inlet port A is a port that communicates with the discharge port of a compressor (not shown) via an inlet connection flow path 20 extending in the axial direction L. This inlet port A constitutes the inlet when high-pressure refrigerant sent from the compressor flows into the valve chamber 2a. In the side wall of the valve body 2, a first connection flow path 21, an outlet connection flow path 22, and a second connection flow path 23 are formed in this order from the top along the axial direction L as multiple cylindrical flow paths that communicate with the inside and outside of the valve chamber 2a. The first connection flow path 21 is a flow path that communicates with the first port 30 described later. This first connection flow path 21 is connected to a condenser (or evaporator) and constitutes a flow path for a fluid that flows between the condenser (or evaporator) and the valve chamber 2a.

The outlet connection flow path 22 is a flow path that communicates with the outlet port 31 described later. This outlet connection flow path 22 is connected to the suction port of the compressor, and constitutes a flow path when the low-pressure refrigerant that has returned to the valve chamber 2a through the first connection flow path 21 (or the second connection flow path 23) is sent to the compressor. The second connection flow path 23 is a flow path that communicates with the second port 32 described later. This second connection flow path 23 is connected to the evaporator (or condenser) and constitutes a flow path for the fluid that flows between the evaporator (or condenser) and the valve chamber 2a. A metallic cylindrical lower cover 24 is fixed to the upper end of the valve body 2 by insert molding, and a metallic bottomed cylindrical upper cover 25 having a bottom wall on the upper side is fixed to the upper end of the lower cover 24.

The top cover 25 has a small diameter portion 25a extending upward in the direction of the axis L in the center of the bottom wall. A through hole 25b penetrating in the direction of the axis L is formed in the center of the small diameter portion 25a, and a guide member 54 (described later) is arranged in this through hole 25b. The valve body 2, the bottom cover 24, and the top cover 25 configured in this manner are housed in a housing (not shown). Note that the reference symbol G in FIG. 1 indicates grooves formed at multiple positions in the direction of the axis L at predetermined intervals on either the outer peripheral wall of the valve body 2 or the inner peripheral wall of the housing, and the reference symbol 26 indicates an O-ring arranged in the groove G. The O-ring 26 seals the gap between the valve body 2 and the housing. Note that in this embodiment, the valve body 2 is made of a resin such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), but may be made of other appropriate materials such as metals such as brass, iron, aluminum, and stainless steel.

The valve seat portion 3 is a portion of the side wall of the valve body 2 on which the first connection flow path 21, the outlet connection flow path 22, and the second connection flow path 23 are formed, and is configured to have multiple (three in this embodiment) valve ports. The valve seat portion 3 is formed of a thin metal plate and is fixed to the side wall of the valve body 2 by insert molding, bonding, welding, etc. The plate surface of the valve seat portion 3 is formed with a first port 30 communicating with the first connection flow path 21, an outlet port 31 communicating with the outlet connection flow path 22, and a second port 32 communicating with the second connection flow path 23. Each of the valve ports 30, 31, and 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter smaller than that of the first connection flow path 21, the outlet connection flow path 22, and the second connection flow path 23, and is arranged at a predetermined interval in the axial direction L. The surface of the valve seat 3 opposite the side where the connecting flow paths 21, 22, and 23 are located constitutes a seal surface 33 that comes into sliding contact with the seal portion of the valve body 4, which will be described later. Therefore, the multiple valve ports 30, 31, and 32 open onto the seal surface 33.

The valve body 4 is mainly made of resin such as polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) and is provided inside the valve body 2 so as to be slidable in the axial direction L. The valve body 4 is configured with a bowl-shaped valve body 40 that seats on the valve seat 3 and communicates or blocks each of the inlet port A, the first port 30, the outlet port 31, and the second port 32. The valve body 4 blocks two valve ports, including the outlet port 31, from the inlet port A among the first port 30, the outlet port 31, and the second port 32 in the valve seat 3, and also communicates with each other as communication targets. The one valve port that is not a communication target by the valve body 4 is blocked from the two valve ports that are communication targets, and is communicated with the inlet port A via the outside of the valve body 4 in the valve chamber 2a. The valve body 4 is provided on the valve seat 3 so as to be slidable in the direction of the axis L, and the sliding movement enables the changeover of the communication target, that is, the changeover of whether the first port 30 and the outlet port 31 are communicated or the second port 32 and the outlet port 31 are communicated. In this way, the valve body 4 is a part that switches the communication state of the three valve ports 30, 31, and 32 of the valve seat 3. The valve body main body 40 of this valve body 4 is configured to include an elliptical opening edge portion 40a extending in the direction of the axis L provided so as to face the seal surface 33 of the valve seat 3, and a cup-shaped portion 40b protruding from the opening edge portion 40a to the side opposite to the side where the valve seat 3 is located. The inside of the cup-shaped portion 40b defines a cup-shaped recess 40c that serves as a flow path for the fluid. The dimension of the opening edge 40a in the axial direction L of the bowl-shaped recess 40c is set to a length that can cover two adjacent ports among the first port 30, the outlet port 31, and the second port 32. In addition, the dimension of the opening edge 40a in the width direction that intersects with the axial direction L is set to a length that can cover one port among the first port 30, the outlet port 31, and the second port 32.

The opening edge 40a of the bowl-shaped recess 40c constitutes the seal portion S, which can slide against the above-mentioned seal surface 33. When the seal portion S abuts against the seal surface 33, for example, the first port 30 and the outlet port 31 are surrounded by the bowl-shaped recess 40c and are cut off from the other ports A and 32. As a result, the first port 30 and the outlet port 31 are connected to each other, and the inlet port A and the second port 32 are connected to each other. When the seal portion S slides downward while sliding on the seal surface 33, the outlet port 31 and the second port 32 are surrounded by the bowl-shaped recess 40c and are cut off from the other ports A and 30. As a result, the outlet port 31 and the second port 32 are connected to each other, and the inlet port A and the first port 30 are connected to each other. That is, the valve body 40 slides and the seal portion S comes into sliding contact with the seal surface 33, switching between communication and blocking between the ports A, 30, 31, and 32.

A pedestal 41 is formed on each side wall located at both ends in the width direction of the bowl-shaped recess 40c. A long fitting groove 41a is formed in each of the pedestals 41 in the axial direction L. A reinforcing member 6 is arranged in the bowl-shaped recess 40c so as to be fitted from one fitting groove 41a to the other fitting groove 41a. The reinforcing member 6 is a member that suppresses deformation of the side wall of the bowl-shaped recess 40c due to the pressure difference between the high-pressure valve chamber 2a and the low-pressure bowl-shaped recess 40c. The reinforcing member 6 is provided on the inside of both side walls in the width direction of the bowl-shaped recess 40c and across both side walls. The reinforcing member 6 is configured to include a rectangular flat portion 60 along the axial direction L and the width direction, and a pair of rising surface portions 61 rising from both ends in the width direction of the flat portion 60. The flat portion 60 and the rising surface portion 61 are integrally formed by a method such as press molding using a metal plate member. As shown in FIG. 1, the flat surface portion 60 is arranged so that its bottom surface faces the seal surface 33 while having a predetermined clearance in the opposing direction to the seal surface 33. The pair of raised surface portions 61 are provided along the inner surface of both side walls in the width direction of the bowl-shaped recess 40c. The raised surface portions 61 are formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the direction of the axis L so as to fit into the above-mentioned fitting groove 41a. When the raised surface portions 61 fit into the fitting groove 41a, the reinforcing member 6 is positioned in the bowl-shaped recess 40c.

A spring member 42 is installed at the top of the bowl-shaped portion 40b of the valve body 40 to bias the valve body 40 toward the valve seat 3. One end of the spring member 42 abuts against the inner wall of the valve body 2, and the other end abuts against the top of the valve body 40, and is interposed between the valve body 2 and the valve body 40. A stopper 43 that protrudes downward in the direction of the axis L is formed at the lower end of the valve body 40. The stopper 43 is a protrusion for restricting the sliding movement of the valve body 4, and the protruding end abuts against the surface of the bottom wall of the valve body 2 facing the valve chamber 2a to restrict the downward movement of the valve body 4. In other words, the stopper 43 and the surface of the bottom wall of the valve body 2 facing the valve chamber 2a define the limit position at which the valve body 4 can move downward.

A connecting portion 44 that protrudes upward is formed at the upper end of the valve body 40. The connecting portion 44 is formed in a hook shape so as to be connected to the drive unit 5. This connecting portion 44 will be described later along with the connection structure with the connecting portion 44 in the drive unit 5.

The drive unit 5 is a part that drives the valve body 4 to slide, and includes a stepping motor 5a (motor unit) as an electric motor having a rotatable rotor, and a linear motion mechanism 5b that converts the rotation of the stepping motor 5a into linear motion and transmits it to the valve body 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the stepping motor 5a includes a can 50 (bottomed cylindrical case), a magnet rotor 51 (rotor), and a stator coil 52. The can 50 is fixed to the small diameter portion 25a of the upper cover 25 and is a bottomed cylindrical part made of metal that seals the inside of the drive unit 5. The magnet rotor 51 is a rotor built into the can 50, and the stator coil 52 is a stator that is arranged to surround the outer periphery of the magnet rotor 51 around the axis L, sandwiching the can 50. The can 50 is formed into a bottomed cylindrical shape from a thin metal material, with the bottom wall arranged on the upper side and the tip portion fixed by welding or the like to the upper edge portion of the small diameter portion 25a of the above-mentioned upper cover 25. That is, the can 50 is fixed to the valve body 2 via the top lid 25. By fixing the can 51 to the top lid 25 in this manner, the can 50 and a guide member 54 described later are arranged so that their central axes are coaxial with the axis L of the valve body 2. The linear motion mechanism 5b includes a bearing member 53, a guide member 54, a male screw member 55, and a female screw member 56. The bearing member 53 is arranged inside the bottom side (upper side) of the can 50, and the guide member 54 is fixed to the top lid 25. The male screw member 55 is a rotor shaft indirectly fixed to the center of the magnet rotor 51 via a fixing member 55a, and the female screw member 56 is a screw member having a female screw portion 56a1 that screws into a male screw portion 55d formed on the outer circumferential surface of the male screw member 55. That is, the linear motion mechanism 5b is configured as a screw feed mechanism having a male screw portion 55d and a female screw portion 56a1 that screw into each other. The drive unit that drives the valve body 4 forward and backward is not limited to the drive unit 5 of this embodiment in which the male screw member 55 is indirectly fixed to the magnet rotor 51. The drive unit may be one in which the male screw member is directly fixed to the rotor of the motor without any other parts. In other words, it is sufficient that the magnet rotor 51 and the male screw member 55 rotate together.

The bearing member 53 is a member that supports the male screw member 55 so that it can rotate around the axis L. The bearing member 53 has a cylindrical large diameter portion 53a, a cylindrical first small diameter portion 53b that protrudes upward from the center of the large diameter portion 53a, and a cylindrical second small diameter portion 53c that protrudes downward from the center of the large diameter portion 53a. The large diameter portion 53a, the first small diameter portion 53b, and the second small diameter portion 53c are molded integrally and are arranged in the can 50 so that their central axes are coaxial with the axis L.

The first small diameter portion 53b is a portion that restricts the bearing member 53 from moving upward, and is formed with a diameter smaller than that of the large diameter portion 53a. As shown in FIG. 1, when the bearing member 53 is inserted into the can 50, the upper end of the first small diameter portion 53b abuts against the inner surface of the bottom wall of the can 50 and is positioned. A first bearing hole 53c1 that opens downward is formed in the center of the bearing member 53, which is the axial center position of the male screw member 55. The first bearing hole 53c1 is a bottomed recessed hole that is provided so that the first shaft portion 55b described later can be inserted, and opens on the lower end surface of the second small diameter portion 53c, and extends in the axis L direction through the large diameter portion 53a to the inside of the first small diameter portion 53b.

The guide member 54 is a cylindrical member with a bottom, and is disposed in the through hole 25b of the top cover 25 so that the bottom is located on the lower side and the tip side is located on the upper side. The guide member 54 has a fixing ring 57 that is integrally provided by insert molding at approximately the center in the axis L direction, and is fixed to the top cover 25 by welding this fixing ring 57 to the upper edge of the small diameter portion 25a of the top cover 25. In other words, the guide member 54 is immovably provided with respect to the case of the slide type switching valve 1 having the top cover 25 and the can 50. The guide member 54 is disposed so that its central axis is coaxial with the axis L of the valve body 2, and with this arrangement, the above-mentioned can 50, bearing member 53, and guide member 54 are all disposed so that their central axes are coaxial with the axis L of the valve body 2.

A second bearing hole 54a that opens upward is formed at the center of the axis of the male screw member 55 at the bottom of the guide member 54. The second bearing hole 54a is a bottomed recessed hole that allows the second shaft portion 55c described later to be inserted, and opens on the inner surface of the bottom of the guide member 54 and extends in the axial direction L. As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of guide holes 54b are formed radially outward of the second bearing hole 54a at the bottom of the guide member 54, through which the connecting arm portion 56b of the female screw member 56 described later can be inserted in the axial direction L. The guide holes 54b are formed radially opposite each other across the second bearing hole 54a. The edge of the guide hole 54b has a shape that follows the outer wall surface of the connecting arm portion 56b. The female screw member 56 is accommodated in the guide member 54 so that the two connecting arms 56b pass through the pair of guide holes 54b. As a result, even if the female screw member 56 attempts to rotate around the axis L when moving forward or backward in the direction of the axis L, it cannot rotate because each connecting arm 56b abuts against the inner surface of the guide hole 54b. In other words, the guide member 54 is configured to guide the female screw member 56 forward or backward in the direction of the axis L while preventing it from rotating around the axis L.

The male screw member 55 is fixed to the center of the magnet rotor 51 using a fixing member 55a, extends in the direction of the axis L, and is configured to rotate around the axis L together with the magnet rotor 51. The upper end of the male screw member 55 forms a cylindrical first shaft portion 55b (shaft portion), and the lower end of the male screw member 55 forms a cylindrical second shaft portion 55c (shaft portion), and a male screw portion 55d is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the portion between the first shaft portion 55b and the second shaft portion 55c. The first shaft portion 55b is inserted into the first bearing hole 53c1, and the second shaft portion 55c is inserted into the second bearing hole 54a, so that the male screw member 55 is supported in the first bearing hole 53c1 and the second bearing hole 54a so that the central axis is coaxial with the axis L so that it can rotate around the axis L.

The female screw member 56 is configured with a screw tube portion 56a and two connecting arms 56b. The screw tube portion 56a is a cylindrical portion that is housed in the guide member 54 and whose outer peripheral wall is in sliding contact with the inner peripheral wall of the guide member 54. The two connecting arms 56b are two arm-like portions that extend downward from the screw tube portion 56a in the axial direction L and extend through the bottom of the guide member 54 into the valve chamber 2a as described below. The screw tube portion 56a is formed so that its central axis is coaxial with the central axis of the guide member 54. A female screw portion 56a1 is formed along the axial line L at the center of the screw tube portion 56a in the female screw member 56. This female screw portion 56a1 is configured to screw into the male screw portion 55d. With this configuration, the female screw member 56 can advance and retreat in the axial direction L coaxially with the central axis as the male screw member 55 rotates. The connecting arm 56b is a portion for connecting the drive unit 5 and the valve body 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the two connecting arms 56b are arranged to face each other in the radial direction of the threaded tube portion 56a, and a shaft member 59 is attached to the lower end of the connecting arms 56b, which extends in the axial intersecting direction intersecting with the axial line L direction and connects to the connecting portion 44 of the valve body 4. To attach the shaft member 59, a female thread side locking groove 56c is formed at the lower end of each connecting arm 56b to lock the shaft member 59 so that it cannot move in the axial line L direction but can move in the radial direction.

The hook-shaped connecting portion 44 provided on the valve body 40 of the valve body 4 engages with the shaft material 59 spanning the two connecting arms 56b as described above, thereby connecting the valve body 4 to the female screw member 56, i.e., the drive unit 5. When the stepping motor 5a rotates in the drive unit 5, the rotation is converted into linear motion of the female screw member 56 in the linear motion mechanism 5b, and this linear motion drives the valve body 4 back and forth so as to slide in the direction of the axis L.

In the slide-type switching valve 1 having such a configuration, the valve body 4 slides in the direction of the axis L to switch the refrigerant flow path. First, the drive unit 5 is driven to slide the valve body 4 downward to cover the second port 32 and the outlet port 31 with the valve body main body 40. This allows the second port 32 to communicate with the outlet port 31. Also, the inlet port A and the first port 30 are communicated with each other. At this time, high-pressure refrigerant flows into the valve chamber 2a through the inlet connection flow path 20 and the inlet port A, and the high-pressure refrigerant is sent to the condenser through the first port 30 and the first connection flow path 21. Meanwhile, low-pressure refrigerant sent from the evaporator flows into the bowl-shaped recess 40c through the second port 32 and the second connection flow path 23, and the low-pressure refrigerant is sent to the suction port of the compressor through the outlet port 31 and the outlet connection flow path 22. Next, the valve body 4 is slid upward to cover the outlet port 31 and the first port 30 with the valve body main body 40. This allows the outlet port 31 to communicate with the first port 30. Also, the inlet port A and the second port 32 are connected to each other. At this time, high-pressure refrigerant flows into the valve chamber through the inlet connection passage 20 and the inlet port A, and the high-pressure refrigerant is sent to the evaporator through the second port 32 and the second connection passage 23. Meanwhile, low-pressure refrigerant sent from the condenser flows into the bowl-shaped recess 40c through the first port 30 and the first connection passage 21, and the low-pressure refrigerant is sent to the suction port of the compressor through the outlet port 31 and the outlet connection passage 22.

The slide-type switching valve 1 of this embodiment is generally configured as described above. Next, the connection structure between the connecting portion 44 of the valve body 4 and the female screw member 56 of the drive unit 5 in this slide-type switching valve 1 will be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 3, the connecting portion 44 of the valve body 4 is formed in a rectangular box shape that opens on the top side of the bowl-shaped portion 40b. A valve body side locking groove 44b for locking the shaft material 59 across the two connecting arms 56b and connecting to the connecting portion 44 is cut into each of a pair of opposing side walls 44a extending in the axial L direction of this rectangular box from the open side of the rectangular box. Like the female thread side locking grooves 56c formed in each of the two connecting arms 56b, this valve body side locking groove 44b is also a locking groove that locks the shaft material 59 so that it cannot move in the axial L direction but can move freely in the radial direction.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the shaft material 59 has a central thick shaft portion 59a, a pair of medium thick shaft portions 59b protruding from the thick shaft portion 59a in the axial direction of the shaft material 59, and a pair of thin shaft portions 59c protruding further in the axial direction from each of the medium thick shaft portions 59b. The pair of thin shaft portions 59c of the shaft material 59 are fitted into and locked in the female thread side locking grooves 56c of the two connecting arms 56b of the female thread member 56. The connecting portion 44 of the valve body 4 contains the central thick shaft portion 59a inside the rectangular box, and locks the pair of medium thick shaft portions 59b so that they are fitted into the valve body side locking grooves 44b of the opposing pair of side walls 44a. In this way, the connecting portion 44 of the valve body 4 is connected to the two connecting arms 56b of the female thread member 56 via the shaft material 59. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the length of the medium-thick shaft portion 59b is longer than the width of the valve body side locking groove 44b. This allows the valve body 4 and the female screw member 56 to move relative to each other in the length direction of the shaft material 59, and can absorb any misalignment between the screw feed mechanism and the axis of the valve body 4 when the valve body 4 slides or moves.

Figure 4 is a detailed view of the female thread member shown in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4(A) shows a side view of the female thread member 56, a top view seen from the upper end side in the direction of axis L, and a bottom view seen from the lower end side. Figure 4(B) shows a cross-sectional view of the female thread member 56 taken along line V12-V12 in Figure 4(A).

As described above, the female screw member 56 is configured with a cylindrical screw tube portion 56a and two connecting arms 56b extending from the screw tube portion 56a in the direction of the axis L. A female screw portion 56a1 that screws into the male screw portion 55d of the male screw member 55 is formed at the center of the screw tube portion 56a, and a female screw side locking groove 56c that locks onto the shaft material 59 is formed at the end of each of the two connecting arms 56b. Each connecting arm 56b has a curved outer surface 56b1 that is continuous with the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical screw tube portion 56a and a flat inner surface 56b2 that faces each other between the two connecting arms 56b. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the male threaded member 55, in which the male threaded portion 55d is screwed into the female threaded portion 56a1 and penetrates the threaded tube portion 56a, extends toward the bottom of the guide member 54 within a space that is defined by the flat inner surface 56b2 of each connecting arm portion 56b and extends in the direction of the axis L.

In addition, a trapezoidal recess 56b3 is formed on the lower end surface of each connecting arm 56b of the female screw member 56 shown in FIG. 4(A), and a rotation stopper 56d is formed on the upper end surface of the female screw member 56 protruding in the direction of the axis L adjacent to the opening of the female screw portion 56a1. When the female screw member 56 rises toward the motor side with the rotation of the stepping motor 5a, this rotation stopper 56d plays a role in stopping the rise of the female screw member 56 by interfering with a part of the rotating magnet rotor 51 and stopping the rotation of the magnet rotor 51. The position where the female screw member 56 stops due to the interference of the rotation stopper 56d is the upper limit position of the female screw member 56.

In addition, the opening 56c1 of the female thread side locking groove 56c in each connecting arm 56b is formed with a wide mouth shape that widens toward the end edge of the connecting arm 56b, improving the ease of fitting the thin shaft portion 59c of the shaft material 59 into the female thread side locking groove 56c.

Figure 5 is a detailed view of the guide member shown in Figures 1 and 2, which guides the female threaded member shown in Figure 4 in the axial direction. Figure 5(A) shows a side view of the guide member 54, and a bottom view seen from the lower end side in the axial L direction. Figure 5(B) shows a cross-sectional view of the guide member 54 taken along line V13-V13 in Figure 5(A).

As described above, the guide member 54 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, and is fixed to the upper cover 25 of the valve body 2 with its bottom facing downward in the axial line L direction via a fixing ring 57 embedded in the peripheral wall. In the center of this bottom, a second bearing hole 54a is formed as a bottomed recess into which the second shaft portion 55c of the male screw member 55 can be inserted. A pair of guide holes 54b are formed so as to face each other in the radial direction across the second bearing hole 54a, through which the connecting arm portion 56b can be inserted in the axial line L direction. Each guide hole 54b is an arc-shaped insertion hole according to the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the axial line L direction of the connecting arm portion 56b, which is composed of a curved outer surface 56b1 and a flat inner surface 56b2, as described above. By inserting two connecting arms 56b one-to-one into these pair of guide holes 54b, the rotation around the axial line L is restricted while the two connecting arms 56b are inserted in the axial line L direction. That is, in this guide member 54, the rotation restriction portion 54c, which restricts rotation around the axis L while inserting the connecting arm portion 56b in the direction of the axis L, is composed of a pair of guide holes 54b (insertion holes) through which the two connecting arms 56b are inserted one-to-one.

In this embodiment, the two connecting arms 56b of the female screw member 56 are arranged to be symmetrical with respect to a plane P11 including the axis L, as shown in FIG. 4. The rotation restricting portion 54c is composed of a guide hole 54b arranged at a position radially eccentric from the axis L.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the base end of the connecting arm 56b, which is the underside of the threaded tube 56a in the female threaded member 56, is provided with an abutment portion 56e that can abut against the bottom of the guide member 54 when the female threaded member 56 descends in the direction of the axis L. This abutment portion 56e functions as a positioning stopper that abuts against the guide member 54 when the valve body 4 reaches a switching position on the side away from the drive unit 5 where the second port 32 and the outlet port 31 are connected to each other.

In this embodiment, the two connecting arms 56b, which pass through a pair of guide holes 54b in the guide member 54 and are connected to the connecting part 44 of the valve body 4, are fastened and bundled with a fastening band 45 at their connection points with the connecting part 44 as shown in FIG. 1.

Figure 6 shows the fastening band shown in Figure 1.

The fastening band 45 is not specified here, but may be, for example, a hose band used to fasten a resin hose to a water faucet or the like. The fastening band 45 is formed by rolling a strip-shaped metal plate into a circular ring shape, and the knobs 45a at both ends are gripped in a direction approaching each other to expand the ring. In this expanded state, the fastening object is placed inside the ring, and then the grip is released to reduce the ring diameter and tighten the fastening object. In this embodiment, the fastening band 45 is attached to the connection points between the two connecting arms 56b and the connecting part 44. The fastening band 45 functions as an opening restriction member that restricts the displacement of the two connecting arms 56b in the separation direction D11 in which they move away from each other at the above-mentioned connection points. The procedure for attaching the fastening band 45 to the connection points between the two connecting arms 56b and the connecting part 44 will be described below.

Figure 7 shows the first step in the fastening band installation procedure in a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2, and Figure 8 shows the second to fourth steps in the fastening band installation procedure in a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 1.

First, in the first stage S11 shown in FIG. 7, the magnet rotor 51 of the stepping motor 5a is attached to the male screw member 55 of the linear motion mechanism 5b, and is housed in the can 50 together with the bearing member 53. In addition, the guide member 54, which houses the female screw member 56 screwed with the male screw member 55 and supports the male screw member 55 together with the bearing member 53, is fixed to the upper cover 25 of the valve body 2, and the can 50 housing the magnet rotor 51 and the like is fixed to this upper cover 25. In addition, a shaft material 59 is attached to the ends of the two connecting arms 56b that protrude through the guide hole 54b at the bottom of the guide member 54. Then, the fastening band 45 is attached to the structure assembled up to this point. The fastening band 45 is sheathed in an expanded state in the mounting direction D12 along the axis L from the ends of the two connecting arms 56b toward the guide member 54, and is tightened at the sheathed end and fastened. At this stage, the exterior is attached to the guide member 54 at a midway point beyond the shaft member 59, which is the connection point with the connecting portion 44 of the valve body 4, as shown in FIG. 7.

In the subsequent second stage S12, as shown in FIG. 8, the connecting portion 44 of the valve body 4 is connected to the ends of the two connecting arms 56b to which the fastening bands 45 are fastened at their midpoints via the shaft 59. This connection is achieved by engaging the hook-shaped connecting portion 44 with the shaft 59, as described above. In addition, in this second stage S12, the valve body 4 is housed in the valve body 2 so as to rub against the valve seat portion 3.

In the next third step S13, the fastening band 45 is slid from the midway position to the connection point between the connecting arm 56b and the connecting part 44 of the valve body 4 and refastened. In this operation, the fastening band 45 at the midway position is expanded in diameter and slid in the moving direction D13 to the connection point, where it is reduced in diameter and fastened. Up to this third step S13, the upper cover 25 is separated from the valve body 2. Then, when the fastening of the fastening band 45 at the connection point is completed, in the following fourth step S14, the upper cover 25 is pushed in the moving direction D12 to a position where it contacts the valve body 2, and the upper cover 25 is welded and fixed to the valve body 2. After this, the stator coil 52 of the stepping motor 5a is attached, and the slide type switching valve 1 shown in FIG. 1 is completed.

According to the embodiment of the slide type switching valve 1 described above, when the valve body 4 is driven back and forth by the driving force from the stepping motor 5a, the guide member 54 serves both as a forward and backward guide for the female screw member 56 and as a rotation restriction for the connecting arm portion 56b, thereby suppressing an increase in the number of parts. In other words, according to the above-mentioned slide type switching valve 1, the valve body 4 can be driven back and forth by the driving force from the stepping motor 5a while suppressing an increase in the number of parts.

In addition, in this embodiment, the bottom of the guide member 54 is provided with a guide hole 54b through which the connecting arm 56b is inserted to form the rotation restricting portion 54c, and a second bearing hole 54a for the male screw member 55. With this configuration, the guide member 54 also serves as a support for the male screw member 55, further reducing the number of parts.

In addition, in this embodiment, the base end of the connecting arm 56b of the female screw member 56 is provided with an abutment portion 56e that contacts the guide member 54, and this abutment portion 56e functions as a positioning stopper for the valve body 4. This configuration makes it possible to regulate the position of the valve body 4 at the switching position without providing a stopper structure for the valve body 4 near the valve body 4 in the valve body 2, thereby preventing the structure of the valve body 2 and the valve body 4 from becoming complicated.

In addition, in this embodiment, multiple connecting arms 56b, specifically two, are provided, and the rotation restriction section 54c is configured with a pair of guide holes 54b through which the two connecting arms 56b are inserted one-to-one. With this configuration, rotation is restricted by inserting the two connecting arms 56b into the pair of guide holes 54b without the need for additional parts, and an increase in the number of parts can be further suppressed.

In addition, in this embodiment, two connecting arms 56b are provided that are symmetrical with respect to a plane P11 that includes the axis L, and the rotation restriction portion 54c is configured with a pair of guide holes 54b that correspond one-to-one to the connecting arms 56b. With this configuration, the number of connecting arms 56b and guide holes 54b related to rotation restriction is kept to a minimum, so the processing costs of the connecting arms 56b and guide holes 54b can be reduced.

In addition, in this embodiment, the two connecting arms 56b and the valve body 4 are connected via a shaft material 59 that spans the two connecting arms 56b. The two connecting arms 56b are provided with female thread side locking grooves 56c that lock the shaft material 59 so that it cannot move in the axial direction L but can move freely in the radial direction, and a similar valve body side locking groove 44b is provided in the connecting portion 44 of the valve body 4. With this configuration, the connecting arms 56b and the valve body 4 are connected with a simple configuration of locking the locking grooves to the shaft material 59, so that the assembly costs and the like related to the connection can be reduced.

In addition, in this embodiment, a fastening band 45 is provided as an opening restriction member that restricts the displacement of the two connecting arms 56b in the separation direction D11, in which the two connecting arms 56b move away from each other. This configuration prevents the two connecting arms 56b in the female screw member 56 from being subjected to a torsional load as the male screw member 55 rotates, causing them to move away from each other, thereby improving the drive accuracy of the female screw member 56 and the valve body 4. In addition, because the displacement of the connecting arms 56b is restricted by a simple structure using inexpensive parts such as a fastening band, the parts costs and assembly costs related to the displacement restriction can be reduced.

In addition, in this embodiment, the valve body 4 is formed with a bowl-shaped recess 40c, and its opening edge 40a is capable of sliding contact with the seal surface 33 on which three valve ports are provided in the valve seat portion 3 as the seal portion S. With this configuration, for the valve body 4 having the bowl-shaped recess 40c and the slide-type switching valve 1 of this embodiment having three valve ports on the valve seat portion 3, the valve body 4 can be driven forward and backward by the driving force from the stepping motor 5a without increasing the number of parts.

Next, as a modification of this embodiment, we will explain an example of an opening restriction member that is different from the fastening band 45.

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing first to third variants of the opening restriction member. Figure 9(A) shows the first variant, Figure 9(B) shows the second variant, and Figure 9(C) shows the third variant.

The opening restriction member 145 of the first modified example includes a storage tube 145a provided on the valve body 140 as a connecting portion 144, and a pin clip 145b. The storage tube 145a is provided on the valve body 140 so as to protrude cylindrically toward the female screw member 156 in the axial direction L, and is a portion that holds the ends of the two connecting arms 156b on the valve body 140 side inside. The pink clip 145b is a through pin that penetrates the peripheral wall of the storage tube 145a and the ends of the two connecting arms 156b in the cross direction D14 with respect to the axial direction L. The outer side of the pink clip 145b that passes through the peripheral wall of the storage tube 145a to the outside and the inner side that passes through the connecting arm 156b around the outer surface of the peripheral wall clamps the peripheral wall and the connecting arm 156b between them.

The opening restriction member 245 of the second variant includes a storage tube 245a and a crimping pin 245b similar to those of the first variant. The storage tube 245a holds the ends of the two connecting arms 256b inside. The crimping pin 245b is a rod-shaped through-pin that penetrates the peripheral wall of the storage tube 245a and the ends of the two connecting arms 156b in the cross direction D14. One end of the pin has a head that is larger than the through-hole in the peripheral wall, and the other end passes outward through the peripheral wall of the storage tube 245a and is then crimped to be locked and fixed.

The opening restriction member 345 of the third variant includes a storage tube 345a and a split pin 345b similar to those of the first variant. The storage tube 345a holds the ends of the two connecting arms 356b inside. The split pin 345b is a through pin that penetrates the peripheral wall of the storage tube 245a and the ends of the two connecting arms 356b in the cross direction D14. This split pin 345b is formed by folding a single metal pin, and the folded end has a shape that bulges outwardly beyond the through hole in the peripheral wall, and after the other end passes outward through the peripheral wall, it is folded outwardly toward the outer surface of the peripheral wall and is fixed to the peripheral wall.

As described above, according to the three alternative examples of the opening restriction member 145, 254, 345 using a through pin, the connection and displacement restriction of the connecting arm 156b, 256b, 356b are performed together by a single configuration using the housing tube 145a, 245a, 345a and the through pin. As a result, it is possible to reduce the parts cost and assembly cost related to the connection and displacement restriction.

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing a fourth alternative example of the opening restriction member.

The opening restriction member 445 of the fourth variant includes the same storage tube 445a as the first variant, the clamped protrusion 445b, and the C-ring 445c. The storage tube 445a holds the ends of the two connecting arms 456b inside. The clamped protrusion 445b is a part that protrudes in the axial direction L so as to be sandwiched between the ends of the two connecting arms 456b inside the storage tube 445a of the valve body. The C-ring 445c is a metal ring-shaped fastening member with a missing part that holds and tightens the ends of the two connecting arms 456b inside the storage tube 445a with the clamped protrusion 445b sandwiched between them. A groove 456b1 into which the C-ring 445c is fitted is formed extending in the circumferential direction on the outer surface of the end of each connecting arm 456b. In this fourth variation, the two connecting arms 456b are connected to the valve body and their displacement in the separation direction D11 is restricted by the ends being accommodated in the accommodation tube 445a and tightened by the C-ring 445b.

According to the fourth example of the opening restriction member 445, the connection between the connecting arm 456b and the valve body and the displacement restriction of the connecting arm 456b are performed simultaneously by a single configuration using the housing tube 445a, the clamped protrusion 445b, and the C-ring 445c in the valve body. This makes it possible to reduce the parts costs and assembly costs related to the connection and the displacement restriction.

The above-described embodiment and the first to fourth examples merely show typical 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 present invention. As long as such modifications still have the configuration of the slide-type switching valve of the present invention, they are of course included in the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment and the first to fourth alternative examples, a slide-type switching valve 1 is exemplified as an example of a slide-type switching valve, which is connected to a compressor, an evaporator, and a condenser in a refrigeration cycle or the like and switches the flow path of the refrigerant flowing through these devices. However, the slide-type switching valve is not limited to this, and can be applied to the main body of various valves that change the flow path.

In the above-mentioned embodiment and the first to fourth variants, two connecting arms 56b are exemplified as an example of a connecting arm provided on the female screw member. In addition, a rotation regulating portion 54c consisting of a pair of guide holes 54b through which two connecting arms 56b are inserted one-to-one is exemplified as an example of a rotation regulating portion provided on the guide member to regulate the rotation of the connecting arms. However, the connecting arms and the rotation regulating portion are not limited to these, and may be composed of three or more connecting arms or a plurality of insertion holes through which the multiple connecting arms are inserted. In addition, in a form in which three or more connecting arms are inserted into a plurality of insertion holes, as long as the multiple connecting arms are inserted in a distributed manner into the plurality of insertion holes, the form is not limited to one-to-one insertion, and may be, for example, two or more connecting arms are inserted into one insertion hole and the remaining connecting arms are inserted into another insertion hole. Alternatively, there may be only one connecting arm and one rotation restricting part, and the shape may be such that the connecting arm is non-rotatable when inserted, for example a polygonal prism-shaped connecting arm or a polygonal through hole.

In the above embodiment, as an example of a locking groove for locking the shaft material, the female thread side locking groove 56c provided in the two connecting arms 56b and the valve body side locking groove 44b provided in the connecting portion 44 of the valve body 4 are exemplified. However, the above locking groove is not limited to these, and as long as it is provided in at least one of the two connecting arms and the valve body, it may be provided only in the connecting arms, or only in the valve body. In these cases, the connecting arms and the valve body that do not have a locking groove may be provided with a hole into which the end of the shaft material fits, or the end of the shaft material may be buried and fixed.

In addition, in the above embodiment, as an example of a slide type switching valve, a slide type switching valve 1 in which a shaft material 59 is provided on two connecting arms 56b provided on a female screw member 56 is exemplified. However, the slide type switching valve is not limited to this. The number of connecting arms on the female screw member may be any multiple number as described above, and as long as a shaft material is provided on two connecting arms selected from the multiple connecting arms, which connecting arm is selected to provide the shaft material can be set appropriately.

In the above-mentioned embodiment and the first to fourth variants, the valve seat 3 is provided with the first port 30, the outlet port 31, and the second port 32, and the valve body 4 slides on the valve seat 3, and the communication target can be switched by the movement in the axial direction L, that is, the communication state can be switched such that the first port 30 and the outlet port 31 are connected, or the second port 32 and the outlet port 31 are connected. However, the switching form of the communication state by the valve body is not limited to this. The switching form of the communication state may be, for example, a form in which only two ports are formed on the valve seat, and the communication state is switched by the sliding movement of the valve body on the valve seat such that one of the ports is blocked and the other port is connected to the inlet port, or the one port is connected to the inlet port and the other port is blocked. The communication state can also be switched in such a way that only one port is formed in the valve seat, and the valve disc slides over the valve seat to switch between communication and cutoff between the inlet port and the one port in the valve seat.

In the above-mentioned embodiment and the first to fourth alternative examples, a slide-type switching valve 1 is illustrated as an example of a slide-type switching valve in which a valve seat portion is provided with multiple valve ports and the communication state of the multiple valve ports is switched by a valve body. That is, a slide-type switching valve 1 is illustrated as an example, which is equipped with one valve body 4 that can switch the communication target by moving in the axial direction L, and communicates two of the three valve ports 30, 31, and 32 provided in the valve seat portion 3 as communication targets. However, the slide-type switching valve is not limited to this, and for example, the number of valve ports provided in the valve seat portion may be any number as long as it is three or more, and the number of valve ports that the valve body communicates with among the multiple valve ports may also be any number as long as it is two or more. Furthermore, the number of valve bodies provided inside the valve body is not limited to one, and multiple valve bodies may be provided inside the valve body.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Slide type switching valve 2 Valve body 3 Valve seat portion 4 Valve element 5 Drive portion 5a Stepping motor (motor portion)
40 Valve body 44, 144 Connecting portion 45 Fastening band (opening restriction member)
50 Can (case)
51 Magnet rotor (rotor)
53 Bearing member 53c1 First bearing hole 54 Guide member 54a Second bearing hole 54b Guide hole (insertion hole)
54c Rotation restriction portion 55 Male thread member 56 Female thread member 56b, 156b, 256b, 356b, 456b Connecting arm portion 59 Shaft material L Axis

Claims (11)

A slide-type switching valve comprising: a hollow cylindrical valve body; a valve seat portion having one or more valve ports provided in the valve body; a valve element provided inside the valve body so as to be slidable in an axial direction on the valve seat portion and switching a communication state of the valve port; and a drive portion for driving the valve element,
the drive unit includes a motor unit having a rotatable rotor, a male screw member fixed directly or indirectly to the rotor and extending in the axial direction, a female screw member that screws into the male screw member and can advance and retreat in the axial direction as the male screw member rotates, and a guide member that is immovably provided with respect to a case that seals the inside of the drive unit and guides the female screw member to advance and retreat,
The female screw member has a connecting arm portion extending in the axial direction and connected to the valve body,
The guide member has a rotation regulating portion that regulates rotation about the axis while inserting the connecting arm portion in the axial direction, and is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having a bottom on the valve body side, and a bearing portion is provided on the bottom to support an end of the male threaded member. The slide-type switching valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom of the guide member is provided with an insertion hole through which the connecting arm is inserted to serve as the rotation restriction part. The sliding type switching valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base end of the connecting arm of the female screw member is provided with an abutment portion that can abut against the guide member, and the abutment portion functions as a positioning stopper that abuts against the guide member when the valve body reaches a switching position away from the drive unit. A plurality of the connecting arms are provided on the female thread member,
The slide type switching valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rotation regulating portion is composed of a plurality of insertion holes through which the plurality of connecting arm portions are inserted in a distributed manner. The two connecting arms are provided on the female screw member so as to be symmetrical with respect to a plane including the axis,
5. The slide type switching valve according to claim 4, wherein the rotation restricting portion is provided at a position eccentric to the axis and is composed of a pair of insertion holes through which the two connecting arms are inserted in a one-to-one relationship. The slide-type switching valve according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the female screw member and the valve body are connected via a shaft member that spans two of the connecting arms selected from the plurality of connecting arms, and at least one of the two connecting arms and the valve body is provided with a locking groove that locks the shaft member so that it cannot move in the axial direction but can move freely in the radial direction. The slide-type switching valve according to any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising an opening restriction member that restricts the displacement of the multiple connecting arms in a direction away from each other. The slide-type switching valve according to claim 7, characterized in that the opening restriction member is a fastening band that bundles together the multiple connecting arms to restrict the displacement. The opening restriction member is
a receiving tube provided on the valve body so as to protrude in the axial direction toward the female screw member and receiving therein end portions of the connecting arms on the valve body side;
a through-pin penetrating through a peripheral wall of the housing cylinder and the ends of the connecting arms in a direction intersecting with the axial direction,
8. The slide type switching valve according to claim 7, wherein the connecting arms are connected to the valve body and the displacement is restricted by the end portions being housed in the housing cylinder and the penetration pin penetrating the connecting arms. The opening restriction member is
a receiving tube provided on the valve body so as to protrude in the axial direction toward the female screw member and receiving therein end portions of the connecting arms on the valve body side;
a clamped protrusion provided on the inside of the housing cylinder of the valve body so as to protrude in the axial direction and be clamped between the ends of the multiple connecting arms;
a C-ring that holds and fastens the ends of the connecting arms inside the housing cylinder with the clamped projections sandwiched between the C-rings,
8. The slide type switching valve according to claim 7, wherein the connecting arms are connected to the valve body and the displacement is restricted by receiving ends of the connecting arms in the receiving tube and fastening the connecting arms by the C-ring. the valve body is formed with an elliptical bowl-shaped recess extending in the axial direction, an opening edge of the bowl-shaped recess is a seal portion, and the seal portion is capable of sliding contact with a seal surface of the valve seat portion,
11. The slide type switching valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve port is provided in the valve seat portion so as to open to the seal surface.

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