JP7669043B2 - Motor-operated valve, motor-operated valve device, and method for assembling the motor-operated valve device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electric valve, an electric valve device, and a method for assembling an electric valve device.

An example of a conventional motor-operated valve is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The motor-operated valve is incorporated into a system having a flow path block. The motor-operated valve, together with the flow path block, constitutes an motor-operated valve device. The motor-operated valve has a valve body assembly and a stator unit. The valve body assembly has a body member, a valve body, a case, and a magnet rotor. The body member has a valve chamber. The valve body is disposed in the valve chamber. The case has a cylindrical shape, and one end of the case is joined to the body member. The magnet rotor is disposed inside the case. The valve body assembly is attached to the flow path block. The stator unit has a stator and a housing. The stator is disposed outside the case. The magnet rotor and the stator constitute a stepping motor. The valve body moves due to the rotation of the magnet rotor. The stator is accommodated in a housing. The housing has a connector for connecting an electric wire. Alternatively, an electric wire is drawn out from a predetermined part of the stator unit. The parts of the connector and stator unit where the wires are pulled out are called "wire connection parts."

The outer peripheral surface of the main body member is provided with a male thread. The upper surface of the flow passage block is provided with a mounting hole, and the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole is provided with a female thread. The male thread of the main body member is screwed into the female thread of the flow passage block. The main body member (valve body assembly) is attached to the flow passage block by a threaded structure. The flow passage block has a retaining groove extending in the axial direction of the thread. The housing has a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the thread. When the mounting plate is placed in the retaining groove, the mounting plate engages with the flow passage block, and the stator unit is attached to the flow passage block.

JP 2022-83453 A

In a system in which an electric valve is incorporated, for example, it may be necessary to change the orientation of the electric wire connection part (the position around the axis of the screw in the stator unit) in order to lay the electric wires efficiently. To change the orientation of the electric wire connection part in the electric valve, it is necessary to change the position of the mounting plate in the housing. For this reason, it is necessary to prepare an electric valve that is suitable for each of the multiple types of systems, making it difficult to use the same electric valve in multiple types of systems.

The present invention aims to provide an electric valve and an electric valve device that can be commonly used in multiple types of systems, as well as a method for assembling the electric valve device.

In order to achieve the above object, an electric valve according to one aspect of the present invention is an electric valve having a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member, the valve body assembly having a body member, a cylindrical case attached to the body member, and a magnet rotor arranged inside the case, the stator unit having a stator arranged outside the case, the stator unit being attached to the valve body assembly, a male thread being provided on the outer peripheral surface of the body member, the male thread being screwed into a female thread provided on the inner peripheral surface of the nut member, and the axial length of the male thread being greater than the axial length of the female thread.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the male thread is screwed into the female thread of the nut member and the female thread provided on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole of the flow path block, and the nut member is tightened so that the main body member is fixed to the flow path block.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the outer peripheral surface of the main body member is provided with a retaining groove extending in the axial direction of the male screw, the stator unit has a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the male screw, the retaining groove crosses at least a portion of the male screw, the mounting plate is disposed in the retaining groove, a protrusion is provided on one of the bottom surface of the retaining groove and the surface of the mounting plate facing the bottom surface, and a protrusion receiving portion which is a recess or hole that engages with the protrusion is provided on the other.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the mounting plate is disposed inside the nut member, and the depth of the retaining groove is smaller than the sum of the thickness of the mounting plate and the protrusion amount of the protrusion.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the motor-operated valve stores information related to the valve opening position of the magnet rotor.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the motor-operated valve has a control device that controls the rotation of the magnet rotor, and the information is stored in the control device.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the motor-operated valve has a label attached to the outer surface of the valve body assembly or the outer surface of the stator unit, and the information is recorded on the label.

In order to achieve the above object, a motor-operated valve device according to another aspect of the present invention has the motor-operated valve and the flow path block.

In order to achieve the above object, a method for assembling an electric valve device according to another aspect of the present invention is a method for assembling an electric valve device having an electric valve and a flow path block, the electric valve having a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member, the valve body assembly having a main body member, a cylindrical case attached to the main body member, and a magnet rotor arranged inside the case, the stator unit having a stator arranged outside the case, (1) attaching the stator unit to the valve body assembly, (2) screwing a male thread provided on the outer peripheral surface of the main body member into a female thread provided on the inner peripheral surface of the nut member, (3) screwing the male thread into a female thread provided on the inner peripheral surface of a mounting hole of the flow path block, and (4) tightening the nut member so that the main body member is fixed to the flow path block.

The motor-operated valve has a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member. The stator unit is attached to the valve body assembly. A male thread provided on the outer peripheral surface of a body member of the valve body assembly is screwed into a female thread provided on an inner peripheral surface of the nut member. The axial length of the male thread is greater than the axial length of the female thread. In this way, a part of the male thread of the body member to which the female thread of the nut member is screwed can be screwed into a female thread provided on the flow path block. This allows the motor-operated valve to be fixed to the flow path block by positioning the motor-operated valve at any position around the axis of the male thread and tightening the nut member. Therefore, the motor-operated valve can be used in common in multiple types of systems.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a motor-operated valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a plan view of a motor-operated valve included in the motor-operated valve device of FIG. 1 . 3 is a cross-sectional view of a valve body assembly of the motor-operated valve of FIG. 2. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a stator unit of the motor-operated valve of FIG. 2. 5 is a diagram showing a bracket included in the stator unit of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 6. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method of assembling the motor-operated valve device of FIG. 1 (a process of attaching a stator unit to a valve body assembly). FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method of assembling the motor-operated valve device of FIG. 1 (a process of screwing the male thread of the main body member into the female thread of the nut member). FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method of assembling the motor-operated valve device of FIG. 1 (a process of screwing the male thread of the main body member into the female thread of the flow passage block). FIG. 4A to 4C are diagrams illustrating a method for assembling the motor-operated valve device of FIG. 1 (step of tightening a nut member). FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a modified example of the motor-operated valve device of FIG. 1 .

Below, a motor-operated valve device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 12. The motor-operated valve device is incorporated, for example, in an air conditioning system installed in a vehicle or an air conditioning system installed indoors.

1 is a cross-sectional view of an electric valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an electric valve included in the electric valve device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a valve body assembly included in the electric valve of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a stator unit included in the electric valve of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a view showing a bracket included in the stator unit of FIG. 4. FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the bracket. FIG. 5B is another perspective view of the bracket. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 6 (the retaining groove of the valve body assembly and its vicinity). FIG. 8 to FIG. 11 are views for explaining a method of assembling the electric valve device of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 shows the process of attaching the stator unit to the valve body assembly. FIG. 9 shows the process of screwing the male thread of the body member of the valve body assembly into the female thread of the nut member. FIG. 10 shows the process of screwing the male thread of the body member into the female thread of the flow passage block. FIG. 11 shows the process of tightening the nut member. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a modified example of the motor-operated valve device of Figure 1. Figures 1, 3, and 8 to 12 show the valve body as viewed from the front.

As shown in FIG. 1, the motor-operated valve device 1 has a flow path block 2 and a motor-operated valve 3.

The flow path block 2 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The flow path block 2 has a circular mounting hole 201. The mounting hole 201 is disposed on an upper surface 2d of the flow path block 2. The upper surface 2d is the outer surface of the flow path block 2. The inner diameter of the mounting hole 201 gradually decreases from the top to the bottom. A female thread 201e is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the mounting hole 201. The flow path block 2 has a first flow path 205 extending leftward from the mounting hole 201 in FIG. 1 , and a second flow path 206 extending downward from the mounting hole 201.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the motor-operated valve 3 has a valve body assembly 5, a stator unit 6, and a nut member 7.

As shown in FIG. 3, the valve body assembly 5 includes a body member 10, a can 20, a drive mechanism 30, and a valve body 40.

The main body member 10 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy. The main body member 10 has a first portion 11 and a second portion 12.

The first portion 11 has a cylindrical shape. The first portion 11 integrally has an upper portion 11a, a middle portion 11b, and a lower portion 11c. The outer diameter of the upper portion 11a is larger than the outer diameter of the middle portion 11b. The outer diameter of the middle portion 11b is larger than the outer diameter of the lower portion 11c.

The first portion 11 has a male thread 11e. The male thread 11e is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper portion 11a. The male thread 11e is screwed into the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2. The first portion 11 is disposed in the mounting hole 201 of the flow path block 2. The upper portion 11a protrudes from the upper surface 2d of the flow path block 2.

The first portion 11 has a retaining groove 14. The retaining groove 14 extends in the vertical direction (axis L direction). The retaining groove 14 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the upper portion 11a and crosses the male thread 11e in the vertical direction. The upper end of the retaining groove 14 opens upward, and the lower end of the retaining groove 14 opens downward. Alternatively, the retaining groove 14 may cross a portion of the male thread 11e. In this case, the upper end of the retaining groove 14 opens upward. The first portion 11 has a recess 14c. The recess 14c is disposed on the bottom surface 14a of the retaining groove 14. The recess 14c is a protrusion receiving portion.

The first part 11 has a valve chamber 15, a valve port 16, a valve seat 17, and a connecting flow passage 18. The valve chamber 15 is disposed inside the middle part 11b and the lower part 11c. The valve port 16 opens into the valve chamber 15. The valve seat 17 is an inwardly tapered annular surface. The valve seat 17 surrounds the valve port 16 in the valve chamber 15. The connecting flow passage 18 connects the valve chamber 15 to the mounting hole 201. The valve chamber 15 is connected to the first flow passage 205 via the connecting flow passage 18 and the mounting hole 201. The valve chamber 15 is connected to the second flow passage 206 via the valve port 16. Note that the flow passage block 2 may have a valve chamber instead of the first part 11.

The second part 12 has a cylindrical shape. The lower part of the second part 12 is disposed inside the upper part 11a of the first part 11. The upper part of the second part 12 protrudes from the upper surface 11d of the first part 11. The second part 12 is attached to the first part 11 by a screw structure. The inner peripheral edge of the connecting member 13 having a circular ring shape is joined to the upper end of the second part 12. In this embodiment, the first part 11 and the second part 12 are separate parts, but the main body member 10 may be a single part in which the first part 11 and the second part 12 are integrally formed.

The can 20 is made of, for example, stainless steel. The can 20 has a cylindrical shape with an open lower end and a closed upper end. The lower end of the can 20 is joined to the outer periphery of the connection member 13. The can 20 is attached to the main body member 10 via the connection member 13. The can 20 may also be attached directly to the main body member 10. The can 20 is a case.

The drive mechanism 30 moves the valve body 40 in the vertical direction. The drive mechanism 30 has a magnet rotor 31, a valve shaft holder 32, and a guide bush 33.

The magnet rotor 31 has a cylindrical shape. The magnet rotor 31 is disposed inside the can 20. The outer diameter of the magnet rotor 31 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the can 20. The outer peripheral surface of the magnet rotor 31 is provided with a plurality of north poles and a plurality of south poles. The plurality of north poles and the plurality of south poles extend in the vertical direction. The plurality of north poles and the plurality of south poles are disposed at equal intervals and alternately in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the magnet rotor 31 has 12 north poles and 12 south poles.

The valve stem holder 32 has a cylindrical shape with a closed upper end. A support ring 35 is fixed to the upper end of the valve stem holder 32. The magnet rotor 31 and the valve stem holder 32 are connected via the support ring 35. A female thread 32c is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the valve stem holder 32. A movable stopper 37 is attached to the valve stem holder 32.

The guide bush 33 has a base 33a and a support portion 33b integrally therewith. The base 33a and the support portion 33b have a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the support portion 33b is smaller than the outer diameter of the base portion 33a. The support portion 33b is coaxially connected to the upper end of the base portion 33a. The outer peripheral surface of the support portion 33b is provided with a male thread 33c. The male thread 33c is screwed into the female thread 32c of the valve shaft holder 32. The base portion 33a is press-fitted into the upper portion of the second portion 12 of the main body member 10. The guide bush 33 is connected to the main body member 10. A fixed stopper 38 is attached to the base portion 33a.

The valve body 40 has a first shaft portion 41, a second shaft portion 42, and a valve portion 43 integrally formed therewith. The first shaft portion 41 and the second shaft portion 42 have a cylindrical shape. The outer diameter of the second shaft portion 42 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first shaft portion 41. The second shaft portion 42 is coaxially connected to the upper end of the first shaft portion 41. The second shaft portion 42 penetrates the upper wall portion 32a of the valve shaft holder 32. A push nut 45 for preventing the second shaft portion 42 from coming off is attached to the second shaft portion 42. The first shaft portion 41 is disposed inside the guide bush 33 and inside the second part 12. The first shaft portion 41 is supported by the guide bush 33 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The lower end of the first shaft portion 41 is disposed in the valve chamber 15. The valve portion 43 has a shape in which a plurality of tapered portions whose outer diameter decreases from the top to the bottom are coaxially connected. The valve portion 43 is coaxially connected to the lower end of the first shaft portion 41. The valve portion 43 is disposed in the valve chamber 15. The valve portion 43 faces the valve port 16 (valve seat 17) in the up-down direction. A step portion 44 is provided between the first shaft portion 41 and the second shaft portion 42. The step portion 44 is an annular flat surface facing upward. A valve-closing spring 36 is disposed between the upper wall portion 32a of the valve shaft holder 32 and the step portion 44. The valve-closing spring 36 is a compression coil spring. The valve-closing spring 36 presses the valve body 40 downward. The valve body 40 is moved in the up-down direction by the drive mechanism 30. The valve port 16 is opened and closed by the movement of the valve body 40.

In the valve body assembly 5, when the magnet rotor 31 rotates in the valve closing direction, the female thread 32c of the valve stem holder 32 and the male thread 33c of the guide bush 33 move the magnet rotor 31 and the valve stem holder 32 downward due to the screw feed action between them. The valve stem holder 32 pushes the valve body 40 downward via the valve closing spring 36. The valve body 40 moves downward and contacts the valve seat 17. The position of the magnet rotor 31 at this time is the valve closing position Rc. When the magnet rotor 31 rotates further in the valve closing direction from this state, the valve closing spring 36 is compressed and the magnet rotor 31 and the valve stem holder 32 move further downward. The valve body 40 does not move downward. Then, when the movable stopper 37 contacts the fixed stopper 38, the rotation of the magnet rotor 31 in the valve closing direction is restricted. The position of the magnet rotor 31 at this time is the reference position Rx.

In the valve body assembly 5, when the magnet rotor 31 rotates in the valve opening direction, the magnet rotor 31 and the valve shaft holder 32 move upward due to the screw feed action between the female thread 32c of the valve shaft holder 32 and the male thread 33c of the guide bush 33. The valve shaft holder 32 pushes the push nut 45 upward. The valve body 40 moves upward and separates from the valve seat 17. The position of the magnet rotor 31 where the valve body 40 separates from the valve seat 17 and the flow rate of the refrigerant flowing through the valve port 16 becomes a predetermined set value is the valve opening position Ro. The valve opening position Ro may be the same as the valve closing position Rc. When the magnet rotor 31 rotates further in the valve opening direction, the magnet rotor 31 reaches the fully open position Rz. When the magnet rotor 31 is in the fully open position Rz, the valve body 40 is the farthest from the valve port 16, and the valve port 16 is at its maximum opening.

As shown in FIG. 4, the stator unit 6 has a stator 60, a housing 70, a bracket 80, and a control device 85.

The stator 60 has a cylindrical shape. The stator 60 has an A-phase stator 61, a B-phase stator 62, and a mold 63 made of synthetic resin.

The A-phase stator 61 has multiple claw-pole type pole teeth 61a, 61b on its inner circumference. The tip of the pole tooth 61a faces downward, and the tip of the pole tooth 61b faces upward. The pole teeth 61a and the pole teeth 61b are arranged alternately at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the A-phase stator 61 has 12 pole teeth 61a and 12 pole teeth 61b. The angle between adjacent pole teeth 61a and pole teeth 61b is 15 degrees. When the coil 61c of the A-phase stator 61 is energized, the pole teeth 61a and the pole teeth 61b have opposite polarities.

The B-phase stator 62 has multiple claw-pole type pole teeth 62a, 62b on its inner circumference. The tip of the pole tooth 62a faces downward, and the tip of the pole tooth 62b faces upward. The pole teeth 62a and the pole teeth 62b are arranged alternately at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the B-phase stator 62 has 12 pole teeth 62a and 12 pole teeth 62b. The angle between adjacent pole teeth 62a and pole teeth 62b is 15 degrees. When the coil 62c of the B-phase stator 62 is energized, the pole teeth 62a and the pole teeth 62b have opposite polarities.

The A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62 are arranged coaxially. The A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62 are in contact with each other. When viewed from the axis L direction, the angle between the pole teeth 61a of the A-phase stator 61 and the pole teeth 62a of the B-phase stator 62, which are adjacent to each other, is 7.5 degrees.

The mold 63 is filled inside the A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62. The mold 63, together with the pole teeth 61a, 61b and the pole teeth 62a, 62b, constitutes the stator inner peripheral surface 60a. The diameter of the stator inner peripheral surface 60a is the same as (including substantially the same as) the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the can 20. The mold 63 has a terminal support portion 64.

The terminal support portion 64 extends laterally (perpendicular to the axis L) from the A-phase stator 61 and the B-phase stator 62. The terminal support portion 64 supports a plurality of terminals 65. The plurality of terminals 65 protrude laterally from the tip of the terminal support portion 64. The plurality of terminals 65 are connected to the coil 61c of the A-phase stator 61 and the coil 62c of the B-phase stator 62.

The stator 60 is disposed on the outside of the can 20. The stator 60, together with the magnet rotor 31 disposed on the inside of the can 20, constitutes a stepping motor 66.

The housing 70 is made of synthetic resin. The housing 70 houses the stator 60 and the control device 85. The housing 70 integrally has a peripheral wall portion 71, an upper wall portion 72, and a connector 73.

The peripheral wall portion 71 has a cylindrical shape. The stator 60 is embedded in the peripheral wall portion 71. The diameter of the inner peripheral surface 71a of the peripheral wall portion 71 is the same as the diameter of the stator inner peripheral surface 60a. The inner peripheral surface 71a is connected to the stator inner peripheral surface 60a without any step. The upper wall portion 72 has a dome shape. The upper wall portion 72 is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 71. The connector 73 is disposed at the top of the housing 70. The connector 73 faces in the horizontal direction. The inner peripheral surface 71a of the peripheral wall portion 71, the inner surface 72a of the upper wall portion 72, and the stator inner peripheral surface 60a form an inner space 74 of the stator unit 6. The can 20 is disposed in the inner space 74.

The housing 70 has a board space 75. The board space 75 is adjacent to the inner space 74. A partition wall 76 is disposed between the inner space 74 and the board space 75. The partition wall 76 separates the inner space 74 from the board space 75. The housing 70 has an opening 70a that leads to the board space 75, and the opening 70a is closed by a lid member 77.

The bracket 80 is made of metal. As shown in FIG. 5, the bracket 80 has a bracket body 81 and a mounting plate 82 that are integral with each other. The bracket body 81 has a circular plate shape. The bracket body 81 is fixed to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 71. The mounting plate 82 has a rectangular plate shape. The mounting plate 82 is connected to the inner peripheral edge of the bracket body 81 and extends downward. The mounting plate 82 extends toward the main body member 10. The bracket 80 is formed by punching a metal plate into the shape of the bracket body 81 and the mounting plate 82 by press processing, and bending the mounting plate 82 so as to follow the central axis (axis line L) of the bracket body 81. The bracket 80 may be welded to the stator 60.

The mounting plate 82 is placed in the holding groove 14. The width of the mounting plate 82 is the same as (including substantially the same as) the width of the holding groove 14 of the main body member 10. The width of the mounting plate 82 may be smaller than the width of the holding groove 14. It is preferable that the misalignment angle around the axis L between the main body member 10 and the housing 70 caused by the difference between the width of the mounting plate 82 and the width of the holding groove 14 is smaller than the step angle of the stepping motor 66. The mounting plate 82 extends in the vertical direction. The mounting plate 82 passes through an opening on the upper end side of the holding groove 14 and is inserted into the holding groove 14.

The mounting plate 82 has a protrusion 82c. The protrusion 82c is disposed on the inner surface 82a (the surface facing left in FIG. 4) of the mounting plate 82. The inner surface 82a is the surface that faces the bottom surface 14a when the mounting plate 82 is disposed in the holding groove 14. The inner surface 82a contacts the bottom surface 14a. The protrusion 82c is a protrusion.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the protrusion 82c fits into the recess 14c in the holding groove 14. By fitting the protrusion 82c into the recess 14c, the recess 14c and the protrusion 82c hook onto each other (i.e., engage), restricting the mounting plate 82 from moving up and down within the holding groove 14. This fixes the housing 70 (stator unit 6) to the main body member 10.

The control device 85 is disposed in the board space 75 of the housing 70. The control device 85 has a main board 90, a sub-board 100, a magnetic sensor 110, and a microcomputer 120.

The main board 90 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. The main board 90 is housed in the board space 75. The main boards 90 are arranged parallel to each other in the vertical direction. A microcomputer 120 is mounted on the main board 90. A number of terminals 65 of the stator 60 are connected to the main board 90.

The sub-board 100 is a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted. The sub-board 100 is housed in the board space 75. The sub-board 100 is disposed at a right angle to the main board 90. A first end 100a of the sub-board 100 is disposed near the main board 90. A second end 100b of the sub-board 100 is disposed near the bulkhead 76. The sub-board 100 is connected to the main board 90 via an inter-board connector.

The magnetic sensor 110 is, for example, a Hall IC. The magnetic sensor 110 is disposed at the second end 100b of the sub-substrate 100. The magnetic sensor 110 is aligned laterally with the magnet rotor 31 via the can 20 and the partition wall 76. The magnetic sensor 110 outputs a signal according to the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnet rotor 31.

The microcomputer 120 is, for example, a microcomputer for embedded devices that integrates a central processing unit, a non-volatile memory, a working memory, a communication module, a motor driver, and the like in a single package. The microcomputer 120 is responsible for controlling the motor-operated valve 3. Note that the non-volatile memory, the working memory, the communication module, and the motor driver may be separate electronic components that are externally connected to the microcomputer 120.

The control device 85 is communicably connected to a control unit of an air conditioning system (not shown) in which the motor-operated valve device 1 is incorporated. The control device 85 controls the stepping motor 66 (i.e., the rotation of the magnet rotor 31) in response to a command sent from the control unit. The control device 85 (e.g., a non-volatile memory of the microcomputer 120) stores valve opening point information J. The valve opening point information J is information indicating the number of pulses (valve opening point) input to the stepping motor 66 to rotate the magnet rotor 31 from the reference position Rx to the valve opening position Ro. The valve opening point is a parameter related to the operating characteristics of the motor-operated valve 3, and may vary depending on the part accuracy and assembly accuracy. The valve opening point is measured when the motor-operated valve 3 is shipped from the factory and is stored in the non-volatile memory as the valve opening point information J. The valve opening point information J is information related to the valve opening position Ro of the magnet rotor 31. For example, in the initialization operation of the motor-operated valve 3, the control device 85 uses the valve opening point information J to position the magnet rotor 31 at the valve opening position Ro. In addition, in the motor-operated valve 3, the closed valve position Rc may be set to the open valve position Ro.

The nut member 7 is an annular member having a hexagonal outer shape. A female thread 7e is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the nut member 7. The male thread 11e of the main body member 10 is screwed into the female thread 7e. The nut member 7 and the retaining groove 14 of the main body member 10 form a space 25. An attachment plate 82 is disposed in the space 25. When the female thread 7e and the male thread 11e are screwed into each other, the nut member 7 is aligned with the attachment plate 82 in the horizontal direction. In other words, the attachment plate 82 is disposed inside the nut member 7. The outer shape of the nut member 7 is not limited to a hexagonal shape. The outer shape of the nut member 7 may be a polygonal shape such as a square shape or an octagonal shape. Alternatively, the nut member 7 may have a shape that engages with a tool (for example, a groove or a protrusion). The nut member 7 may have a shape that can be rotated by a tool.

In this embodiment, when the depth of the retaining groove 14 is D, the thickness of the mounting plate 82 is T1, and the protrusion amount of the convex portion 82c is T2, the depth D is smaller than the sum T of the thickness T1 and the protrusion amount T2 (D<T, T=T1+T2). The depth D is the distance between the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 11 (the valley bottom of the male thread 11e) and the bottom surface 14a of the retaining groove 14. The protrusion amount T2 is the distance between the inner surface 82a and the point of the convex portion 82c that is farthest from the inner surface 82a. In this way, when a force is applied to the mounting plate 82 to pull it upward from the retaining groove 14, the mounting plate 82 comes into contact with the nut member 7, restricting the elastic deformation of the mounting plate 82, and suppressing disengagement between the convex portion 82c and the concave portion 14c.

The length K1 of the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 in the axial direction (axis L direction) is greater than the length K2 of the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 in the axial direction (axis L direction) (FIG. 9). Specifically, the length K1 is greater than the length K2 by at least the number of threads (e.g., 5 to 10) required for the main body member 10 to be fixed to the flow path block 2 when the male thread 11e is screwed into the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2 and the nut member 7 is tightened. In this embodiment, the length K1 is preferably 1.5 to 5 times the length K2, and more preferably 2 to 3 times. If the length K1 is large, the amount of screwing between the male thread 11e and the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2 can be secured, and if the length K1 is small, the flow path block 2 and the motor-operated valve 3 can be made smaller. In a configuration having multiple nut members 7, the length K2 is the sum of the axial lengths of the female threads 7e of each nut member 7.

In this embodiment, the motor-operated valve 3 has one nut member 7, but as shown in FIG. 12, the motor-operated valve 3 may have multiple nut members 7.

In the motor-operated valve device 1, the central axes of the mounting hole 201 (female thread 201e), main body member 10 (first part 11, male thread 11e, second part 12, valve port 16, valve seat 17), can 20, magnet rotor 31, valve shaft holder 32, guide bush 33, valve body 40, stator 60 (A-phase stator 61, B-phase stator 62), and nut member 7 (female thread 7e) all coincide with the axis L.

Next, an example of a method for assembling the motor-operated valve device 1 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11.

The valve body assembly 5 and the stator unit 6 are prepared. Then, the stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5. Specifically, the can 20 of the valve body assembly 5 is inserted into the inner space 74 of the stator unit 6, and the mounting plate 82 of the housing 70 is inserted into the holding groove 14 of the main body member 10. When the mounting plate 82 is inserted into the holding groove 14, the convex portion 82c of the mounting plate 82 rides on the bottom surface 14a of the holding groove 14, and the mounting plate 82 is elastically deformed so as to be curved (Figure 8). Then, when the insertion is further advanced, the mounting plate 82 is restored to its original state, and the convex portion 82c fits into the concave portion 14c in the holding groove 14. As a result, the concave portion 14c and the convex portion 82c are caught by each other, and the mounting plate 82 is restricted from moving up and down in the holding groove 14. In addition, since the width of the holding groove 14 and the width of the mounting plate 82 are the same, the mounting plate 82 is restricted from rotating around the axis L relative to the main body member 10. This secures the stator unit 6 to the valve body assembly 5.

Next, the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 is screwed into the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 (Figs. 9 and 10). Then, the main body member 10 is inserted into the mounting hole 201 of the flow path block 2, and the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 is screwed into the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2 (Figs. 10 and 11). The position of the motor-operated valve 3 around the axis L is adjusted to orient the connector 73 of the stator unit 6 in the desired direction. The nut member 7 is rotated until it contacts the upper surface 2d of the flow path block 2. After the nut member 7 contacts the upper surface 2d, a force is applied to the nut member 7 in the rotational direction to tighten the nut member 7. This fixes the main body member 10 (motor-operated valve 3) to the flow path block 2, and the motor-operated valve device 1 is completed.

The motor-operated valve device 1 of this embodiment has a flow path block 2 and a motor-operated valve 3. The motor-operated valve 3 has a valve body assembly 5, a stator unit 6, and a nut member 7. The valve body assembly 5 has a body member 10, a can 20 attached to the body member 10, and a magnet rotor 31 arranged inside the can 20. The stator unit 6 has a stator 60 arranged outside the can 20. The stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5. A male thread 11e is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the body member 10. The male thread 11e is screwed into the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 and the female thread 201e of the flow path block 2. The length K1 of the male thread 11e in the axial direction L is greater than the length K2 of the female thread 7e in the axial direction L. The nut member 7 is tightened so that the body member 10 is fixed to the flow path block 2.

By doing this, a part of the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 into which the female thread 7e of the nut member 7 is screwed can be screwed into the female thread 201e provided on the flow path block 2. This allows the motor-operated valve 3 to be fixed to the flow path block 2 by positioning the motor-operated valve 3 at any position around the axis L and tightening the nut member 7. Therefore, the motor-operated valve 3 can be commonly used in multiple types of systems.

In addition, because the stator unit 6 is attached to the valve body assembly 5, the combination of the valve body assembly 5 and the stator unit 6 is determined at the time of shipment from the factory. Therefore, the operating characteristics (valve opening point) of the motor-operated valve 3, which vary depending on the component precision and assembly precision, can be measured at the time of shipment from the factory, and the motor-operated valve 3 can be shipped with information related to the operating characteristics (valve opening point information J) recorded.

The outer peripheral surface of the main body member 10 is provided with a retaining groove 14 extending in the direction of the axis L. The stator unit 6 has a mounting plate 82 extending in the direction of the axis L. The retaining groove 14 crosses the male thread 11e. The mounting plate 82 is placed in the retaining groove 14. A convex portion 82c is provided on the inner surface 82a of the mounting plate 82. A concave portion 14c that engages with the convex portion 82c is provided on the bottom surface 14a of the retaining groove 14. In this manner, the stator unit 6 can be attached to the valve body assembly 5 with a relatively simple structure. Note that a convex portion may be provided on the bottom surface 14a of the retaining groove 14, and a concave portion or hole that engages with the convex portion may be provided on the mounting plate 82.

The mounting plate 82 is also disposed inside the nut member 7. The depth D of the retaining groove 14 is smaller than the sum T of the thickness T1 of the mounting plate 82 and the protrusion amount T2 of the convex portion 82c. In this way, the mounting plate 82 is disposed in the space 25 formed by the retaining groove 14 and the nut member 7, and the elastic deformation of the mounting plate 82 is restricted, thereby preventing the disengagement of the convex portion 82c and the concave portion 14c. This prevents the stator unit 6 from coming off the valve body assembly 5.

The motor-operated valve 3 has a control device 85 that controls the rotation of the magnet rotor 31. The valve opening point information J is stored in the control device 85. In this way, the flow rate of the refrigerant can be controlled with high precision in the motor-operated valve 3.

The motor-operated valve 3 may be directly controlled by the control unit of the air conditioning system, omitting the control device 85. In this case, it is preferable that the motor-operated valve 3 has a label attached to the outer surface of the valve body assembly 5 or the outer surface of the stator unit 6, and the valve opening point information J is recorded on the label. The valve opening point information J is recorded in a format that can be read by a reading device, such as a barcode or two-dimensional code. By using the valve opening point information J read by the reading device in the control unit, the flow rate of the refrigerant in the motor-operated valve 3 can be controlled with high precision.

The above-described embodiment has a configuration in which the motor-operated valve 3 is attached to the flow path block 2, but is not limited to this configuration. For example, the motor-operated valve 3 may be attached to a structure other than the flow path block 2 (for example, the frame of an air conditioning system). In this case, the male thread 11e of the main body member 10 of the motor-operated valve 3 is screwed into a female thread provided on the inner surface of a mounting hole of the structure, and the nut member 7 is tightened so that the main body member 10 is fixed to the structure.

In this specification, terms indicating shapes such as "cylinder" and "rectangular parallelepiped" are also used to refer to members or parts of members that have substantially the shape of the term. For example, a "cylindrical member" includes both cylindrical members and substantially cylindrical members.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiments. Those embodiments in which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds or removes components or modifies the design, or those in which the features of the embodiments are appropriately combined, are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they do not go against the spirit of the present invention.

1...motor-operated valve device, 2...flow path block, 2d...upper surface, 201...mounting hole, 201e...female thread, 205...first flow path, 206...second flow path, 3...motor-operated valve, 5...valve body assembly, 10...main body member, 11...first part, 11a...upper part, 11b...middle part, 11c...lower part, 11d...upper surface, 11e...male thread, 12...second part, 13...connecting member, 14...retaining groove, 14a...bottom surface, 14c...recess, 15...valve chamber, 16...valve port, 17...valve seat, 18...connecting flow path, 20...can, 25...space, 30...driving mechanism, 31...magnet rotor, 32...valve shaft holder, 32a...upper wall portion, 32c...female thread, 33...guide bush, 33a...base portion, 33b...support portion, 33c...male thread, 35...support ring, 36...valve closing spring, 37...movable stopper, 38...fixed stopper, 40...valve body, 41...first shaft portion, 42...second shaft portion, 43...valve portion, 44...step portion, 45...push nut, 6...stator unit, 60...stator, 60a...stator - Inner circumferential surface, 61...A-phase stator, 61a...pole teeth, 61b...pole teeth, 61c...coil, 62...B-phase stator, 62a...pole teeth, 62b...pole teeth, 62c...coil, 63...mold, 64...terminal support portion, 65...terminal, 66...stepping motor, 70...housing, 70a...opening, 71...peripheral wall portion, 71a...inner circumferential surface, 72...upper wall portion, 72a...inner surface, 73...connector, 74...inner space, 75...board space, 76...partition wall, 77...lid member, 80...bracket , 81...bracket body, 82...mounting plate, 82a...inner surface, 82c...protrusion, 85...control device, 90...main board, 100...sub-board, 100a...first end, 100b...second end, 110...magnetic sensor, 120...microcomputer, 7...nut member, 7e...female thread, J...valve opening point information, K1...length, K2...length, L...axis, Rc...valve closing position, Ro...valve opening position, Rx...reference position, Rz...fully open position, T...total value, T1...thickness, T2...protrusion amount

Claims (8)

A motor-operated valve having a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member,
The valve body assembly includes a body member, a cylindrical case attached to the body member, and a magnet rotor disposed inside the case,
The outer circumferential surface of the main body member is provided with a male thread and a retaining groove extending in the axial direction of the male thread and crossing at least a portion of the male thread,
The stator unit has a stator disposed on the outside of the case , and a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the male screw and disposed in the retaining groove ,
a protrusion is provided on one of the bottom surface of the holding groove and the surface of the mounting plate facing the bottom surface, and a protrusion receiving portion which is a recess or a hole that engages with the protrusion is provided on the other surface;
the stator unit is attached to the valve body assembly ;
The male thread is screwed into a female thread provided on an inner peripheral surface of the nut member,
An electrically operated valve, characterized in that the axial length of the male thread is greater than the axial length of the female thread. the male thread is screwed into the female thread of the nut member and a female thread provided on an inner circumferential surface of a mounting hole of a flow passage block,
The motor-operated valve of claim 1 , wherein the nut member is tightened to secure the body member to the flow passage block. The mounting plate is disposed inside the nut member,
2. The motor-operated valve according to claim 1 , wherein the depth of the retaining groove is smaller than the sum of the thickness of the mounting plate and the protruding amount of the protrusion. The motor-operated valve according to claim 1 or 2, wherein information relating to the valve opening position of the magnet rotor is recorded in the motor-operated valve. The motor-operated valve has a control device that controls the rotation of the magnet rotor,
The motor-operated valve of claim 4 , wherein the information is stored in the controller. the motor-operated valve has a label attached to an outer surface of the valve body assembly or an outer surface of the stator unit,
The motor-operated valve of claim 4 , wherein the information is recorded on the label. An electric valve device comprising the electric valve according to claim 2 and the flow path block. A method for assembling a motor-operated valve device having a motor-operated valve and a flow path block, comprising the steps of:
The motor-operated valve includes a valve body assembly, a stator unit, and at least one nut member.
The valve body assembly includes a body member, a cylindrical case attached to the body member, and a magnet rotor disposed inside the case,
The outer circumferential surface of the main body member is provided with a male thread and a retaining groove extending in the axial direction of the male thread and crossing at least a portion of the male thread,
The stator unit has a stator disposed on the outside of the case , and a mounting plate extending in the axial direction of the male screw and disposed in the retaining groove ,
a protrusion is provided on one of the bottom surface of the holding groove and the surface of the mounting plate facing the bottom surface, and a protrusion receiving portion which is a recess or a hole that engages with the protrusion is provided on the other surface;
(1) attaching the stator unit to the valve body assembly, inserting the mounting plate into the retaining groove, and engaging the protrusion with the protrusion receiving portion;
(2) The male thread is screwed into a female thread provided on the inner peripheral surface of the nut member,
(3) The male thread is screwed into a female thread provided on an inner circumferential surface of a mounting hole of the flow passage block,
(4) A method for assembling a motor-operated valve device, comprising the steps of: tightening the nut member so that the main body member is fixed to the flow passage block.

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