Expansion valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12222172-B2
Application number	US-202418796010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2024
Priority date	Feb 10, 2022
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

An expansion valve includes: a partition member shaped in a cylindrical tubular form and receiving a rotor; a case placed at an outside of the partition member and having a cylindrical tubular portion coaxial with the partition member; an O-ring placed between the cylindrical tubular portion and the partition member; a bracket having a body-side portion extending in a direction parallel to an axial direction of the partition member and securely fastened to a body, and a case-side portion extending in a direction different from the axial direction and installed to the case; and a fastener member securely fastening the bracket to the body through the body-side portion. The case and the bracket form an enabler structure that is configured to enable movement of the bracket relative to the case in a fastening direction in which the bracket is fastened to the body by the fastener member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An expansion valve comprising:
a body that forms a refrigerant flow passage;
a valve element that is configured to adjust an opening degree of the refrigerant flow passage;
a rotor that is configured to drive the valve element;
an electric circuit board that is configured to control rotation of the rotor;
a partition member that is shaped in a cylindrical tubular form and is fixed to the body, wherein the partition member receives the rotor;
a case that is placed at an outside of the partition member and receives the electric circuit board, wherein the case has a cylindrical tubular portion that is coaxial with the partition member;
an O-ring that is placed between the cylindrical tubular portion and the partition member and is configured to limit intrusion of a liquid into an inside of the case;
a bracket that has:
a body-side portion that extends in a direction parallel to an axial direction of the partition member and is securely fastened to the body; and
a case-side portion that extends in a direction different from the axial direction of the partition member and is installed to the case; and

a fastener member that is configured to securely fasten the bracket to the body through the body-side portion, wherein:
the case and the bracket form an enabler structure that is configured to enable movement of the bracket relative to the case in a fastening direction in which the bracket is fastened to the body by the fastener member.

2. The expansion valve according to claim 1 , wherein the bracket has a protruding portion that protrudes from the case in a view taken in the axial direction of the partition member.

3. The expansion valve according to claim 1 , wherein:
the enabler structure includes an insertion groove that is formed at the case, where the bracket is inserted into the insertion groove; and
a fit between the bracket and the insertion groove is a clearance fit that enables the movement of the bracket relative to the case in the fastening direction.

4. The expansion valve according to claim 3 , wherein:
the insertion groove is formed at an outer peripheral surface of the case; and
the bracket has a cutout that is shaped to correspond with a shape of the insertion groove.

5. The expansion valve according to claim 4 , wherein the insertion groove and the cutout form a rotation limiter structure that is configured to limit rotation of the bracket relative to the case in a circumferential direction about a central axis of the partition member.

6. The expansion valve according to claim 3 , wherein:
the insertion groove extends in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the partition member;
the bracket is shaped in a plate form and is bent at a bending location between a portion of the bracket, which is securely fastened to the body, and another portion of the bracket, which is installed to the case; and
a bending angle of the bracket, which is bent at the bending location, is an acute angle.

7. The expansion valve according to claim 1 , wherein the bracket has an urging portion that is bent to urge the case toward the body.

8. The expansion valve according to claim 1 , comprising:
a coil that is received in the case and is configured to generate a magnetic field to rotate the rotor; and
a magnetic flux sensor that is configured to sense a change in a magnetic flux generated in response to the rotation of the rotor, wherein:
the coil has a holder that holds the magnetic flux sensor.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Omi Yasumitsu
• Adachi Yoshiyuki
• Liang Hefeng

Classifications

• F16K31/046

  with electric means, e.g. electric switches, to control the motor or to control a clutch between the valve and the motor (F16K31/041 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K31/02

  electric {(F16K31/004 takes precedence)}; magnetic · CPC title

• F16K27/102

  for lift-valves · CPC title

• F16K27/029 Primary

  Electromagnetically actuated valves · CPC title

• F25B41/35

  by rotary motors, e.g. by stepping motors · CPC title