Patent ID: 6244298
Filing Date: 2001-06-12
Classification: F16K,F25B,Y10T

Abstract:
A refrigerating cycle which comprises a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger, and a channel-switching valve,said channel-switching valve including a high pressure inlet for introducing a high pressure fluid into said channel-switching valve from said compressor, a low pressure outlet for discharging a low pressure fluid from said channel-switching valve to said compressor, a first connecting hole for allowing fluid passage between the inside of said channel-switching valve and said indoor heat exchanger, and a second connecting hole for allowing fluid passage between the inside of said channel-switching valve and said outdoor heat exchanger,said high pressure inlet being connected to one of said first connecting hole and said second connecting hole while said low pressure outlet being connected to the other one of said first connecting hole and said second connecting hole inside said channel-switching valve by said channel-switching valve,said one of said first connecting hole and said second connecting hole being connected to one of said indoor heat exchanger and said outdoor heat exchanger, while said other one of said first connecting hole and said second connecting hole being connected to the other one of said indoor heat exchanger and said outdoor heat exchanger, andsaid channel-switching valve switching the connection of said first connecting hole between said indoor heat exchanger and said outdoor heat exchanger as well as the connection of said first second connecting hole between said indoor heat exchanger and said outdoor heat exchanger,said refrigerating cycle being characterized by comprisingequalizer means for forcibly equalizing the pressure of a refrigerant passing through said first connecting hole and the pressure of a refrigerant passing through said second connecting hole inside said channel-switching valve prior to the connection switching by said channel-switching valve,wherein said channel-switching valve comprises:a cylindrical valve housing, with at least one end thereof being open;a main valve seat which closes one end of said valve housing; anda main valve element which is movable in an axial direction of said valve housing and rotatable in a circumferential direction of said valve housing, said main valve element being accommodated in said valve housing, said main valve element being provided with a connecting groove and a guide groove on one end surface thereof facing said axial direction and with a pilot port inside thereof for connecting said connecting groove to the other end surface thereof facing said axial direction, andwherein said pilot port is opened by a pilot valve element being accommodated in said valve housing and being movable in said axial direction thereby to generate a pressure difference between said one end surface and said other end surface, which pressure difference moves said main valve element in said axial direction and separates said main valve element from said main valve seat, thereby equalizing the pressure of said refrigerants.