REFRIGERANT PASSAGE CHANGE-OVER VALVE AND AIR CONDITIONER USING THE SAME

• US 20140311179A1
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Published: 10/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Original Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Inventors: Kojima, Makoto, Okuda, Noriyuki, Setoguchi, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,234,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/467
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0746 with two or more closure plates comprising a single lever control
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/166 with the rotating spindles at right angles to the closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/20 Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves expansion valves F25B41/31
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/26 of fluid flow reversing valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86485 Line condition change responsive release of valve

Abstract

A valve case (11) includes a plurality of ports (P1, P2, P3, . . . ). A valve body (50) rotates in the valve case (11) and slide on openings of predetermined ones of the ports (P1, P2, P3, . . . ) to switch a communication state among the ports (P1, P2, P3, . . . ). A motor (31) rotates the valve body (50). A controller (500) controls a rotation speed (ω) of the motor (31) in accordance with a differential pressure (ΔP) between internal and external pressures of the valve body (50).

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A refrigerant passage change-over valve configured to switch a refrigerant passage in a refrigerant circuit, the valve comprising:

a valve case including a plurality of ports;

a valve body configured to rotate in the valve case and slide on openings of predetermined ones of the ports to switch a communication state among the ports;

a motor configured to rotate the valve body; and

a controller configured to control a rotation speed of the motor in accordance with a differential pressure between internal and external pressures of the valve body.

8. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 7, wherein

the controller sets the rotation speed at a start of switching of the valve body in accordance with the differential pressure.

9. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 7, wherein

the rotation speed of the motor is controlled to be constant by the controller during switching operation of the valve body.

10. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 7, wherein

during switching operation of the valve body, the controller reduces the rotation speed in accordance with an increase in the differential pressure and increases the rotation speed in accordance with a decrease in the differential pressure.

11. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 7, wherein

the valve body comprises a plurality of valve bodies,

the valve case is partitioned into a plurality of valve chambers each housing an associated one of the valve bodies, and

the valve bodies are connected to a common drive shaft that is driven by the motor.

12. An air conditioner comprising a refrigerant circuit including the refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 7 to perform a refrigeration cycle.

13. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 8, wherein

the rotation speed of the motor is controlled to be constant by the controller during switching operation of the valve body.

14. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 8, wherein

during switching operation of the valve body, the controller reduces the rotation speed in accordance with an increase in the differential pressure and increases the rotation speed in accordance with a decrease in the differential pressure.

15. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 8, wherein

the valve body comprises a plurality of valve bodies,

the valve case is partitioned into a plurality of valve chambers each housing an associated one of the valve bodies, and

the valve bodies are connected to a common drive shaft that is driven by the motor.

16. An air conditioner comprising a refrigerant circuit including the refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 8 to perform a refrigeration cycle.