Valve device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12553526-B2
Application number	US-202217876154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2022
Priority date	Sep 30, 2021
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A valve device includes a case including an open lower portion and an accommodation space provided therein, a base plate to cover the open lower portion of the case, a refrigerant inlet pipe connected to the base plate and to allow a refrigerant to flow into the accommodation space, an inlet and outlet pipe connected to the base plate to allow the refrigerant to flow in and out, a boss including a refrigerant inlet and outlet hole formed at a first position spaced apart from a center to communicate with the inlet and outlet pipe, and an extending groove extending radially outward from the first position to a second position and connected to the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, and a pad including an open cavity rotatable on one side of the boss to close the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole and to open the extending groove.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A valve device comprising:
a case having a lower portion and an accommodation space; a base plate to cover the lower portion of the case; a refrigerant inlet pipe to be connected to the base plate so that while the refrigerant inlet pipe is connected to the base plate the refrigerant inlet pipe allows a refrigerant to flow into the accommodation space; an inlet and outlet pipe to be connected to the base plate so that while the inlet and outlet pipe is connected to the base plate the inlet and outlet pipe allows the refrigerant to flow in and out; a boss comprising a refrigerant inlet and outlet hole formed at a first position spaced apart from a center of the boss to allow the refrigerant to flow in and out through the inlet and outlet pipe, and an extending groove extending radially from the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole at the first position to a second position and connecting the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole with a portion of the extending groove at the second position; and a pad rotatable on one side of the boss to close the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole and to open the extending groove, wherein the pad comprises:
a first open cavity cut from an outside of the pad to the second position,
a sealing body in contact with an upper surface of the boss to close the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole and the extending groove of the boss, and
a second open cavity cut from the outside of the pad to the first position to open the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole at one side of the sealing body,
wherein the extending groove comprises:
an opening member in communication with the accommodation space by the first open cavity of the pad to receive the refrigerant and extending along a direction in which the pad is rotatable; and
a connection member connected to the opening member to allow the refrigerant to flow into the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole,
wherein the sealing body is disposed to close the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole and cover the connection member, in a state where the first open cavity is positioned to open the opening member.

2 . The valve device of claim 1 , wherein
the first position is spaced apart from the center of the boss by a first distance in a radial direction, and the second position is spaced apart from the center of the boss by a second distance in the radial direction, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

3 . The valve device of claim 1 , wherein
the sealing body comprises a connection cavity cut along the direction in which the pad is rotatable and which is at the first position.

4 . The valve device of claim 3 , wherein
the refrigerant inlet and outlet hole is a first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, wherein the boss further comprises a second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, a third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, and a fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, which are spaced apart from each other at intervals of 90 degrees clockwise from the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole with respect to the center of the boss.

5 . The valve device of claim 4 , wherein
the inlet and outlet pipe is a first inlet and outlet pipe connected to the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole, the valve device further comprises:
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.

6 . The valve device of claim 5 , wherein
the refrigerant inlet pipe is connected to a condenser to receive the 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.

7 . The valve device of claim 6 , wherein
based on operating in a simultaneous open mode of the valve device, the pad is rotated to allow the first open cavity to open the extending groove and to allow the second open cavity to open the fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole so that the refrigerant introduced into the accommodation space through the refrigerant inlet pipe is introduced into the fourth refrigerant inlet and outlet hole and then flow to the first capillary tube, and at a same time, the refrigerant introduced into the first refrigerant inlet and outlet hole through the extending groove is introduced into the third refrigerant inlet and outlet hole through the hot pipe, and then introduced into the second refrigerant inlet and outlet hole through the connection cavity and flows into the second capillary tube.

8 . The valve device of claim 7 , wherein
the first open cavity and the second open cavity are connected to each other.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Min Seulki
• Seo Kookjeong
• Jeong Heemoon
• Lee Insub

Classifications

• F25B41/20 Primary

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

• F25B41/37

  Capillary tubes · CPC title

• F16K31/535

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

• Y10S62/00

  Refrigeration · CPC title

• F25D21/04

  Preventing the formation of frost or condensate · CPC title