Refrigerant passage change-over valve and air conditioner using the same

• US 9,234,684 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Original Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Inventors: Kojima, Makoto, Okuda, Noriyuki, Setoguchi, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALISTER, WILLIAM M
• Application Number:
  US14/129,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20140311179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 137/487, 137/119.02, 137/625.43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. 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, wherein

the controller is configured to control the rotation speed of the motor such that a first non-zero rotation speed with a first differential pressure is larger than a second non-zero rotation speed with a second differential pressure higher than the first differential pressure, and

the controller is configured to control the rotation speed of the motor to be constant at the first non-zero rotation speed or the second non-zero rotation speed during an entire switching operation of the valve body.

3. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 1, 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.

4. An air conditioner comprising a refrigerant circuit including the refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 1 to perform a refrigeration cycle.

2. 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, wherein

the controller is configured to control the rotation speed of the motor such that a first non-zero rotation speed with a first differential pressure is larger than a second non-zero rotation speed with a second differential pressure higher than the first differential pressure, wherein

the controller is configured to set the rotation speed to the first non-zero rotation speed or the second non-zero rotation speed for an entire switching operation at a start of switching of the valve body in accordance with the differential pressure.

5. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 2, wherein

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

6. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 2, wherein

the controller is configured to reduce the rotation speed in accordance with an increase in the differential pressure and to increase the rotation speed in accordance with a decrease in the differential pressure, during the switching operation of the valve body.

7. The refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 2, 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.

8. An air conditioner comprising a refrigerant circuit including the refrigerant passage change-over valve of claim 2 to perform a refrigeration cycle.