Multi-way valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12345340-B2
Application number	US-202318512060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2023
Priority date	Sep 27, 2021
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A multi-way valve includes a valve seat and a valve core. The valve core is rotatably disposed in the valve seat, the valve seat is provided with a plurality of valve port groups, each valve port group includes a plurality of valve ports, the valve core is provided with communication structure groups corresponding to the valve port groups, respectively, and each of the communication structure groups further includes a plurality of communication structures arranged along a circumferential direction of the valve core. When the valve core is rotated to different rotation positions, valve ports in different valve port groups form different communication states. Only one valve core is required to make a two-way proportional valves, three-way proportional valve, and a four-way proportional valve achieve different communication states, with simple control, compact structure and low cost.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-way valve, comprising a valve seat and a valve core rotatably provided inside the valve seat; the valve core has a plurality of rotation positions, and the valve seat is provided with a plurality of valve port groups, and each of the valve port groups comprises a plurality of valve ports;
the valve core is provided with communication structure groups corresponding to the valve port groups, respectively, and each of the communication structure groups comprises a plurality of communication structures arranged along a circumferential direction of the valve core;
the communication structure groups are configured such that when the valve core is rotated to different rotation positions, each valve port group matches with different communication structures in the communication structure groups to make valve ports in each valve port group form different communication states;
wherein the plurality of valve port groups comprise a first valve port group, and a plurality of valve ports in the first valve port group comprise a first valve port, a second valve port, a third valve port, and a fourth valve port, which are arranged in a four-corner layout;
the plurality of communication structure groups comprise a first communication structure group, and the first communication structure group comprises a first communication structure and a second communication structure that are arranged along the circumferential direction of the valve core; the first communication structure comprises two first grooves provided on an outer peripheral surface of the valve core and arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the valve core, and the first grooves extend along an axial direction of the valve core; the second communication structure comprises two second grooves provided on the outer peripheral surface of the valve core and arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the valve core, and the second grooves extend along the circumferential direction of the valve core;
when the valve core is rotated to allow the first communication structure to match with the first valve port group, the first valve port is in communication with the second valve port and the third valve port is in communication with the fourth valve port by the two first grooves of the first communication structure, respectively; or
when the valve core is rotated to allow the second communication structure to match with the first valve port group, the first valve port is in communication with the fourth valve port and the second valve port is in communication with the third valve port by the two second grooves of the second communication structure, respectively;
wherein the plurality of valve port groups comprise a second valve port group, and the second valve port group comprises a fifth valve port and a sixth valve port that are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the valve core;
the plurality of communication structure groups comprise a second communication structure group, and the second communication structure group comprises a third communication structure and a blocking structure that are arranged along the circumferential direction of the valve core;
the third communication structure comprises two third grooves provided on the outer peripheral surface of the valve core and arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the valve core, and a first channel which is configured to penetrate groove bottoms of the two third grooves to make the two third grooves communicate with each other;
when the valve core is rotated to allow the third communication structure to match with the second valve port group, the two third grooves of the third communication structure match with the fifth valve port and the sixth valve port, respectively, so that the fifth valve port is in communication with the sixth valve port;
when the valve core is rotated to allow the blocking structure to match with the second valve port group, the fifth valve port and the sixth valve port are blocked by the blocking structure.

2. The multi-way valve according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of valve port groups comprise a third valve port group, and the third valve port group comprises a eighth valve port, a seventh valve port, and a ninth valve port, which are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the valve core;
the plurality of communication structure groups comprise a third communication structure group, and the third communication structure group comprises a fourth communication structure and a fifth communication structure that are arranged along the circumferential direction of the valve core;
the fourth communication structure comprises two fourth grooves provided on the outer peripheral surface of the valve core and arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the valve core, and a second channel which is configured to penetrate groove bottoms of the two fourth grooves to make the two fourth grooves communicate with each other; the fifth communication structure comprises a fifth groove extending along the axial direction of the valve core;
when the valve core is rotated to allow the fourth communication structure to match with the third valve port group, the two fourth grooves in the fourth communication structure match with the eighth valve port and the ninth valve port, respectively, so that the eighth valve port is in communication with the ninth valve port;
when the valve core is rotated to allow the fifth communication structure to match with the third valve port group, the eighth valve port is in communication with the seventh valve port by the fifth groove of the fifth communication structure.

3. The multi-way valve according to claim 2 , wherein the eighth valve port and the fifth valve port are located at positions having a same height in the axial direction of the valve core, and the eighth valve port and the fifth valve port are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the valve core;
the ninth valve port and the sixth valve port are located at positions having a same height in the axial direction of the valve core, and the ninth valve port and the sixth valve port are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the valve core.

4. The multi-way valve according to claim 3 , wherein the third communication structure in the second communication structure group and the fourth communication structure in the third communication structure group are shared.

5. The multi-way valve according to claim 3 , wherein the seventh valve port extends along the circumferential direction of the valve core to be located between the fifth valve port and the sixth valve port.

6. The multi-way valve according to claim 3 , wherein the first valve port group and the second valve port group are arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the valve core.

7. The multi-way valve according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the valve port groups are provided on a same side of the valve seat.

8. The multi-way valve according to claim 1 , wherein the valve seat is provided with a driving device, and the driving device is connected to the valve core in a transmission way.

Assignees

• Geely Holding Group Co Ltd
• Zhejiang Liankong Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lin Bingrong
• Xu Junbo
• Li Guibin
• Xue Qiang
• Dai Haijiang

Classifications

• F16K31/043

  characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means · CPC title

• F16K31/535

  for rotating valves (F16K31/54 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K31/041

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

• F16K27/065

  with cylindrical plugs · CPC title

• B60H1/00485

  Valves for air-conditioning devices, e.g. thermostatic valves · CPC title