Valve device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11946675-B2
Application number	US-202117536578-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2021
Priority date	Nov 26, 2020
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A valve device comprises a case comprising an open lower portion and an accommodation space formed therein, a base plate to cover the open lower portion of the case, an inlet pipe connected to the base plate and through which a refrigerant is introduced to the accommodation space, a boss installed to the base plate and comprising a plurality of refrigerant inlet and outlet holes through which the introduced refrigerant from the accommodation space is introduced and discharged, a plurality of inlet and outlet pipes respectively connected to the plurality of refrigerant inlet and outlet holes, and through which the refrigerant is introduced from the boss or discharged to the boss, and a pad comprising an open cavity formed therein to selectively open one refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, and a connection cavity formed therein to selectively connect two refrigerant inlet and outlet holes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve device comprising:
a case comprising an open lower portion and an accommodation space formed therein;
a base plate to cover the open lower portion of the case;
an inlet pipe connected to the base plate and through which a refrigerant is introduced to the accommodation space;
a boss installed to the base plate and comprising a plurality of refrigerant inlet and outlet holes through which the introduced refrigerant from the accommodation space is introduced and discharged;
a plurality of inlet and outlet pipes respectively connected to the plurality of refrigerant inlet and outlet holes, and through which the refrigerant is introduced from the boss or discharged to the boss; and
a pad comprising an open cavity formed therein to selectively open one refrigerant inlet and outlet hole among the plurality of refrigerant inlet and outlet holes, and a connection cavity formed therein to selectively connect two refrigerant inlet and outlet holes among the plurality of refrigerant inlet and outlet holes,
wherein the open cavity comprises a first region formed on one side of the open cavity and a second region formed on an other side of the open cavity and provided at a position rotated 45 degrees clockwise from the first region with respect to a center of the pad.

2. The valve device of claim 1 , wherein
the open cavity selectively opens one refrigerant inlet and outlet hole among the plurality of refrigerant inlet and outlet holes according to a rotation of the pad, and in response to the pad being rotated 45 degrees or less when the one refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is opened, the open state of the one refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is maintained.

3. The valve device of claim 1 , wherein
the open cavity and the connection cavity are formed in a shape of a groove which is recessed from a bottom surface of the pad.

4. The valve device of claim 3 , wherein
the open cavity extends to an edge of the pad in a radial direction of the pad, and the open cavity has a size of 75 degrees to 80 degrees with respect to the center of the pad in a circumferential direction of the pad.

5. The valve device of claim 3 , wherein
the connection cavity selectively connects two refrigerant inlet and outlet holes adjacent to each other among the plurality of refrigerant inlet and outlet holes.

6. The valve device of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of refrigerant inlet and outlet holes comprises a first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, a second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole formed at a position rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the first refrigerant inlet and outlet holes with respect to a center of the boss, a third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole formed at a position rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole with respect to the center of the boss, and a fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole formed at a position rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole with respect to the center of the boss.

7. The valve device of claim 6 , wherein
the plurality of inlet and outlet pipes comprises a first inlet and outlet pipe connected to the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, a second inlet and outlet pipe connected to the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, a third inlet and outlet pipe connected to the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, and a fourth inlet and outlet pipe connected to the fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole.

8. The valve device of claim 7 , wherein
the inlet pipe is connected to an outlet pipe of a condenser to receive a refrigerant from the condenser therethrough, the first inlet and outlet pipe and the third inlet and outlet pipe are connected to a hot pipe, the fourth inlet and outlet pipe is connected to a first capillary tube, and the second inlet and outlet pipe is connected to a second capillary tube.

9. The valve device of claim 8 , wherein
in response to the second region of the open cavity being located in the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, the valve device is in a closed state so that only the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is opened by the open cavity while the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, and the fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole are closed, and the refrigerant from the accommodation space is discharged to the first inlet and outlet pipe through the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole and then introduced into the hot pipe.

10. The valve device of claim 9 , wherein
in response to the first region of the open cavity being located in the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole as the pad is rotated 45 degrees clockwise with respect to the center of the boss, the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is opened, the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is closed, and the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole and the fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole are connected by the connection cavity.

11. The valve device of claim 10 , wherein
the refrigerant from the accommodation space is discharged to the first inlet and outlet pipe through the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, introduced into the third inlet and outlet pipe through the hot pipe, discharged to the fourth inlet and outlet pipe through the fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole connected to the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole by the connection cavity, and then introduced into the first capillary tube.

12. The valve device of claim 9 , wherein
in response to the second region of the open cavity being located in the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole as the pad is rotated 90 degrees clockwise with respect to the center of the boss, the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is opened, and the refrigerant from the accommodation space is discharged to the second inlet and outlet pipe through the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, and introduced into the second capillary tube, and the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole and the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole are closed to prevent the refrigerant being discharged to the first inlet and outlet pipe and the third inlet and outlet pipe.

13. The valve device of claim 9 , wherein
in response to the first region of the open cavity being located in the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole as the pad is rotated 225 degrees clockwise with respect to the center of the boss, the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is opened, the fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is closed, and the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole and the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole are connected by the connection cavity.

14. The valve device of claim 13 , wherein
the refrigerant from the accommodation space is discharged to the third inlet and outlet pipe through the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, introduced into the first inlet and outlet pipe through the hot pipe, and discharged to the second inlet and outlet pipe through the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole connected to the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole by the connection cavity, and then introduced into the second capillary tube.

15. The valve device of claim 9 , wherein
in response to the second region of the open cavity being located in the fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole as the pad is rotated 270 degrees clockwise with respect to the center of the boss, the fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is opened, and the refrigerant from the accommodation space is discharged to the fourth inlet and outlet pipe through the fourth refrigerant inlet an

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bae Jungwook
• Min Seulki
• Seo Kookjeong
• Yoon Wonjae
• Jeong Heemoon

Classifications

• F25B41/20 Primary

  Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves (expansion valves F25B41/31) · CPC title

• F16K11/0743 Primary

  with both the supply and the discharge passages being on one side of the closure plates · CPC title

• F25B41/37

  Capillary tubes · CPC title

• F25D21/04

  Preventing the formation of frost or condensate · CPC title

• F16K31/041

  for rotating valves (F16K31/055 takes precedence) · CPC title