MIXING VALVE

A mixing valve includes: a housing with a valve chamber formed therein; and a rotor rotatably inserted into the valve chamber, a first peripheral wall of the housing is provided with a first inlet port at a first opening to the valve chamber and a second inlet port at a second opening to the valve chamber, a second peripheral wall of the rotor is provided with a first inflow pipe, a second inflow pipe, and a mixing pipe with a mixing flow path formed therein, the mixing pipe opens in a radial direction of the rotor and communicates with the first inflow pipe and the second inflow pipe to allow a mixed fluid MF to flow into the mixing pipe, and the first peripheral wall of the housing is provided with a discharge port a discharge fluid DF that has flowed into the valve chamber without passing through the first inflow pipe and/or the second inflow pipe of the rotor, respectively, and an outlet port communicating with the mixing flow path.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mixing valve and particularly to a mixing valve capable of mixing different fluids at a predetermined flow amount ratio and thereby obtaining a desired mixed fluid.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-1925 discloses a flow regulating valve capable of adjusting a ratio at which water and hot water are mixed and thereby obtaining warm water at a desired temperature. The flow regulating valve is for use in a hot-water supply and the like and includes a valve main body including a cylindrical valve chamber and a valve body rotatably inserted into the valve chamber. The valve main body includes two side ports into which water and hot water flow, respectively, and a bottom port from which mixed warm water flows out. Each side port is opened into the valve chamber, and a ratio at which water and hot water are mixed is adjusted by an opening area of each side port changing with rotation of the valve body.

If the opening area of each side port, in other words, each inlet port decreases with rotation of the valve body, a flow of the fluid on the upstream side of each inlet port stagnates. For example, consider the case where there is a heat exchanger to adjust a temperature of a fluid on the upstream side of the flow regulating valve, in other words, the mixing valve. In this case, the flow of the fluid may stagnate due to the narrowing of the flow path at the mixing valve and heat exchange efficiency of the fluid in the heat exchanger may be degraded. Therefore, there has been a need for a mixing valve that does not hinder the flow of the fluid on the upstream side and can thus minimize influences on devices disposed on the upstream side.

Also, since the bottom port, in other words, the outlet port extends in an axial direction of the valve body, the dimension of the mixing valve in a height direction increases. Moreover, since a hose connecting direction is split to the radial direction and the axial direction of the valve body when the hose or the like is connected to each inlet port and the outlet port, handling of the hose becomes complicated, and workability when the mixing valve is installed deteriorates. Furthermore, since it is not possible to keep the hose or the like to be connected to each inlet port and the outlet port compact, it is difficult to save a space around the mixing valve.

An object of the present invention, which has been made in view of such problems, is to provide a mixing valve capable of minimizing influences on devices disposed on an upstream side by not hindering a flow of a fluid on the upstream side, realizing a compact size and space saving, and further improving workability related to installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve the above object, a mixing valve according to the present invention includes: a cylindrical housing with a valve chamber formed therein; and a rotor rotatably inserted into the valve chamber, the housing is provided with, in a first peripheral wall of the housing, a first inlet port having a first opening at the valve chamber and a second inlet port having a second opening at the valve chamber, a first fluid flowing into the first inlet port, a second fluid flowing into the second inlet port, the rotor includes, in a second peripheral wall of the rotor, a first inflow pipe communicating with the first opening, a second inflow pipe communicating with the second opening, and a mixing pipe forming a mixing flow path through which the first fluid and/or the second fluid flow as a mixed fluid, the mixing pipe opens in a radial direction of the rotor and communicates with the first inflow pipe and the second inflow pipe to allow the mixed fluid to flow into the mixing pipe, and the first peripheral wall of the housing is provided with a discharge port discharging the first fluid and/or the second fluid that has flowed into the valve chamber without passing through the first inflow pipe and/or the second inflow pipe of the rotor, respectively, as a discharge fluid to the outside of the housing, and an outlet port communicating with the mixing pipe.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mixing valve capable of minimizing influences on devices disposed on an upstream side by not hindering a flow of a fluid on the upstream side, realizing a compact size and space saving, and further improving workability related to installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG.1illustrates a perspective view of a mixing valve1according to an embodiment of the present invention, andFIG.2illustrates a vertical sectional view of the mixing valve1inFIG.1. The mixing valve1includes a cylindrical housing2that is a valve main body and a rotor4that is a valve body. A valve chamber6is formed inside the housing2, and the rotor4is rotatably inserted into the valve chamber6. Specifically, the rotor4includes an upper drive shaft4aand a lower pipe portion4b. The drive shaft4ais driven and rotated by an actuator such as a stepping motor, which is not illustrated.

The housing2is formed by welding an upper lid member2aand a lower tubular member2b, for example. The drive shaft4aof the rotor4is rotatably supported by an inner circumferential surface of the lid member2aof the housing2via a shaft seal device10. The shaft seal device10is configured by a sealing member such as an O ring and a shaft bearing such as a bearing, and the valve chamber6is sealed and sectioned inside the housing2by the shaft seal device10.

A first peripheral wall12formed in the tubular member2bis provided with a first inlet port14, a second inlet port16, an outlet port18, and a discharge port20. In the present embodiment, all of the first inlet port14, the outlet port18, the second inlet port16, and the discharge port20are provided to project in a radial direction of the housing2from the first peripheral wall12in this order at positions substantially at angles of 90 degrees in the counterclockwise circumferential direction of the first peripheral wall12when seen inFIG.1.

Specifically, each of the ports14,16,18, and20is provided to project in the radial direction of the housing2from the first peripheral wall12on the same radial-direction plane of the housing2. The first inlet port14has a first opening22at the valve chamber6, and a first fluid F1flows into the first inlet port14. The second inlet port16has a second opening24at the valve chamber6, and a second fluid F2flows into the second inlet port16. The outlet port18has a third opening26at the valve chamber6and communicates with a mixing pipe36, which will be described later, to allow a mixed fluid MF of the first fluid F1and/or the second fluid F2to flow out from the outlet port18. The discharge port20has a fourth opening28at the valve chamber6, and a discharge fluid DF flows out from the discharge port20.

FIG.3illustrates a perspective view of the rotor4seen in a direction A inFIG.2, andFIG.4illustrates a horizontal sectional view of the rotor4inFIG.3in a direction B-B. A second peripheral wall30formed in the pipe portion4bof the rotor4is provided with a first inflow pipe32into which the first fluid F1flows from the first inlet port14, a second inflow pipe34into which the second fluid F2flows from the second inlet port16, and a mixing pipe36from which the mixed fluid MF flows out.

In the present embodiment, all of the first inflow pipe32, the mixing pipe36, and the second inflow pipe34are provided to project in the radial direction of the rotor4from the second peripheral wall30in this order at positions substantially at angles of 90 degrees in the counterclockwise circumferential direction of the second peripheral wall30when seen inFIGS.3and4. Specifically, the first inflow pipe32, the second inflow pipe34, and the mixing pipe36are provided to project in the radial direction of the pipe portion4bfrom the second peripheral wall30in the same radial-direction plane of the pipe portion4bof the rotor4.

A mixing flow path38through which the mixed fluid MF flows is formed in the mixing pipe36. Also, the mixing pipe36includes a connecting portion40connected to the second peripheral wall30and an opening end42that comes into slide contact with an inner circumferential surface of the housing2via a sealing member54(seeFIG.5), which will be described later, with rotation of the rotor4. A third peripheral wall44of the mixing pipe36has an enlarged pipe shape with a diameter increasing from the connecting portion40toward the opening end42. Note that the mixing pipe36in the present embodiment has a slightly flattened enlarged pipe shape.

FIG.5illustrates a horizontal sectional view of the mixing valve1inFIG.1in a direction C-C. The first inflow pipe32communicates with the mixing flow path38, and a first communication region46of the first inflow pipe32communicating with the first opening22changes with rotation of the rotor4. Also, the second inflow pipe34communicates with the mixing flow path38, and a second communication region48of the second inflow pipe34communicating with the second opening24changes with rotation of the rotor4.

Here, a first non-communication region50may be formed in the first opening22in the present embodiment. The first non-communication region50communicates with the valve chamber6in accordance with rotation of the rotor4but does not communicate with the first inflow pipe32. On the other hand, a second non-communication region52may be formed in the second opening24. The second non-communication region52communicates with the valve chamber6in accordance with rotation of the rotor4but does not communicate with the second inflow pipe34.

The first fluid F1and/or the second fluid F2that has flowed into the valve chamber6through the first non-communication region50and/or the second non-communication region52, respectively, flows through a space in the valve chamber6below the rotor4and is then discharged as the discharge fluid DF to the outside of the housing2via the discharge port20. In other words, the first fluid F1that has flowed in from the first opening22and has not passed through the first inflow pipe32flows into the valve chamber6, the second fluid F2that has flowed into the second opening24and has not passed through the second inflow pipe34flows into the valve chamber6, and the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2are mixed in the valve chamber6and are discharged as the discharge fluid DF to the outside of the housing2via the discharge port20.

The discharge fluid DF is appropriately used in a temperature adjustment system56, which will be described later, or the like. Note that as illustrated inFIG.5, sealing members45with which the first inflow pipe32, the second inflow pipe34, and the mixing pipe36smoothly come into slide contact with rotation of the rotor4to thereby tightly seal the valve chamber6are attached to inner circumferential surfaces of the tubular member2bof the housing2in the vicinity of the first opening22, the second opening24, and the third opening26.

On the other hand, the first fluid F1flowing through the first communication region46of the first inflow pipe32and the second fluid F2flowing through the second communication region48of the second inflow pipe34flow through the mixing flow path38formed in the mixing pipe36of the rotor4and flow out as the mixed fluid MF from the outlet port18. The mixed fluid MF is appropriately used in the temperature adjustment system56, which will be described later, or the like. Note that in the case illustrated inFIG.5, a ratio of the first communication region46occupying the area of the first opening22, in other words, an opening degree of the first inflow pipe32is 50%, and the ratio of the second communication region48occupying the area of the second opening24, in other words, an opening degree of the second inflow pipe34is 50%, and the rotation position of the rotor4in this case will be referred to as R2.

FIG.6illustrates a horizontal sectional view of the mixing valve1in a case where the first communication region46is an entire region of the first opening22. In the case illustrated inFIG.6, an opening degree of the first inflow pipe32is 100%, an opening degree of the second inflow pipe34is 0%, and only the first fluid F1flowing through the first communication region46of the first inflow pipe32flows through the mixing flow path38and then flows out from the outlet port18. On the other hand, the second fluid F2passing through the second non-communication region52flows through the space in the valve chamber6below the rotor4and is then discharged as the discharge fluid DF from the discharge port20. Note that the rotation position of the rotor4in this case will be referred to as R1.

FIG.7illustrates a horizontal sectional view of the mixing valve1in a case where the second communication region48is an entire region of the second opening24. In the case illustrated inFIG.7, an opening degree of the first inflow pipe32is 0%, an opening degree of the second inflow pipe34is 100%, and only the second fluid F2flowing through the second communication region48of the second inflow pipe34flows through the mixing flow path38and then flows out from the outlet port18. On the other hand, the first fluid F1passing through the first non-communication region50flows through the space in the valve chamber6below the rotor4and is then discharged as the discharge fluid DF from the discharge port20. Note that the rotation position of the rotor4in this case will be referred to as R3.

FIG.8illustrates a graph representing a flow amount ratio of the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2in the mixed fluid MF in accordance with the rotation position of the rotor4, andFIG.9illustrates a graph representing a flow amount ratio of the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2in the discharge fluid DF in accordance with the rotation position of the rotor4. At the rotation position R1, the mixed fluid MF includes 100% of the first fluid F1as illustrated inFIG.6as well. In this case, the second opening24of the second inlet port16is completely covered with the rotor4, and the second fluid F2is held back in the related art.

Therefore, the flow of the second fluid F2on the upstream side of the second inlet port16completely stagnates in the related art. However, in the present embodiment, the discharge fluid DF including 100% of the second fluid F2is caused to flow through the valve chamber6and is then discharged from the discharge port20at the rotation position R1. In this manner, flows of both the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2on the upstream side of the mixing valve1are not hindered.

On the other hand, the mixed fluid MF includes 50% each of the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2as illustrated inFIG.5as well at the rotation position R2. Therefore, each of the flow of the first fluid F1on the upstream side of the first inlet port14and the flow of the second fluid F2on the upstream side of the second inlet port16stagnates to about ½ in the related art. However, in the present embodiment, the discharge fluid DF including 50% each of the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2is caused to flow through the valve chamber6and is then discharged from the discharge port20at the rotation position R2. In this manner, flows of both the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2on the upstream side of the mixing valve1are not hindered.

On the other hand, the mixed fluid MF includes 100% of the second fluid F2as illustrated inFIG.7as well at the rotation position R3. Therefore, the flow of the first fluid F1on the upstream side of the first inlet port14completely stagnates in the related art. However, in the present embodiment, the discharge fluid DF including 100% of the first fluid F1is caused to flow through the valve chamber6and is then discharged from the discharge port20at the rotation position R3. In this manner, flows of both the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2on the upstream side of the mixing valve1are not hindered.

In this manner, the flows of both the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2on the upstream side of the mixing valve1are not hindered regardless of the rotation position of the rotor4, and it is thus possible to minimize influences on devices disposed on the upstream side of the mixing valve1. As is obvious fromFIGS.5to7, the opening area of the mixing pipe36at the opening end42is a size that allows communication with the entire region of the third opening26of the outlet port18in the entire rotation range of the rotor4.

Furthermore, in a case where a first line L1connecting a rotation center C of the rotor4to a center of the first opening22in the radial direction and a second line L2connecting the rotation center C to a center of the second opening24in the radial direction are defined in the same radial-direction plane of the housing2as illustrated inFIG.6, an intersection angle on the side of a region where the discharge port20is provided is defined as a fluid inflow angle α. Also, in a case where a third line L3(the same as the first line L1inFIG.6) connecting the rotation center C to a center of the opening of the first inflow pipe32in the radial direction and a fourth line L4connecting the rotation center C to a center of the opening of the second inflow pipe34in the radial direction are defined in the same radial-direction plane of the housing2, an intersection angle on the side of the region where the discharge port20is provided is defined as a fluid mixing angle β.

At this time, the fluid mixing angle β and the fluid inflow angle α are set to different angles, and preferably, the fluid mixing angle β is set to be smaller than the fluid inflow angle α. In the present embodiment, the fluid inflow angle β is an obtuse angle of less than 180 degrees (about 120 degrees), while the fluid inflow angle α is substantially 180 degrees. It is possible to secure a broader region between the first inlet port14and the second inlet port16than the rotation region of the rotor4around the rotation center C at the center by such a relationship between the fluid inflow angle α and the fluid mixing angle β being satisfied in the mixing valve1. Therefore, it is possible to form the first non-communication region50and/or the second non-communication region52, to cause the first fluid F1and/or the second fluid F2to flow into the valve chamber6, and to discharge the fluids as the discharge fluid DF from the discharge port20.

FIG.10is a configuration diagram of the temperature adjustment system56in which the mixing valve1is installed. The temperature adjustment system56is mounted in a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, for example, and includes a radiator cooling water circuit58and a battery cooling water circuit60. A heat exchange unit62for a heat exchanger for cooling, an electric pump64, the mixing valve1, and a radiator66are inserted into the radiator cooling water circuit58in the order in a direction of a water flow.

In the radiator cooling water circuit58, cooling water cooled by the heat exchange unit62is sent out by the electric pump64and flows into the first inlet port14of the mixing valve1as the first fluid F1. Thereafter, cooling water as the discharge fluid DF is fed to the radiator66from the discharge port20, and the cooling water is used for heat dissipation of devices mounted in the vehicle.

On the other hand, a heat exchange unit68for a heat exchanger for heating, an electric pump70, the mixing valve1, a battery72, and an electric power train74are inserted into the battery cooling water circuit60in the order in the direction of the water flow. In the battery cooling water circuit60, warm water heated by the heat exchange unit68is sent out by the electric pump70and flows into the second inlet port16of the mixing valve1as the second fluid F2. Thereafter, the warm water is fed to the battery72from the outlet port18as the mixed fluid MF, and the warm water heats the battery72exposed to a low-temperature environment.

The water after heating the battery72is fed to the electric power train74and is used for heat dissipation of an inverter, a motor, and the like configuring the electric power train74. In the temperature adjustment system56, it is also possible to cool the battery72in a high-temperature environment or during a long-time traveling of the vehicle by changing the flow amount ratio of the first fluid F1(cooling water) and the second fluid F2(warm water) in the mixed fluid MF through rotation of the rotor4.

Also, flows of both the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2on the upstream side of the mixing valve1are not hindered regardless of the rotation position of the rotor4as described above. Therefore, since the flows of the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2do not stagnate on the upstream side, which is the upstream side of the mixing valve1, it is possible to prevent degradation of heat exchange efficiency in the heat exchange units62and68disposed on the upstream side of the mixing valve1.

As described above, the first non-communication region50may be formed in the first opening22of the first inlet port14in the mixing valve1according to the present embodiment, and the first non-communication region50communicates with the valve chamber6in accordance with rotation of the rotor4but does not communicate with the first inflow pipe32. Also, the second non-communication region52may be formed in the second opening24of the second inlet port16, and the second non-communication region52communicates with the valve chamber6in accordance with rotation of the rotor4but does not communicate with the second inflow pipe34.

The first fluid F1and/or the second fluid F2that has flowed into the valve chamber6through the first non-communication region50and/or the second non-communication region52, respectively, is discharged as the discharge fluid DF to the outside of the housing2via the discharge port20. In this manner, the flows of both the first fluid F1and the second fluid F2on the upstream side of the mixing valve1are not hindered regardless of the rotation position of the rotor4. Therefore, it is possible to minimize influences on devices disposed on the upstream side of the mixing valve1, and specifically, to prevent degradation of heat exchange efficiency in the heat exchange units62and68as described above.

Also, the first peripheral wall12of the housing2is provided with the discharge port20from which the discharge fluid DF is discharged and the outlet port18communicating with the mixing pipe36to allow the mixed fluid MF to flow out from the outlet port18, in addition to the first inlet port14into which the first fluid F1flows and the second inlet port16into which the second fluid F2flows. In other words, it is possible to shorten the length of the rotor4in the axial direction by providing all of the ports14,16,18, and20in the first peripheral wall12of the housing2, to thereby minimize the dimension of the mixing valve1in the height direction, and to realize the mixing valve1in a considerably compact size.

Also, since the ports14,16,18, and20are disposed in the circumferential direction of the first peripheral wall12of the housing2, it becomes easy to handle a hose or the like to be connected to the ports14,16,18, and20, and it is thus possible to improve workability when the mixing valve1is installed. Also, it is possible to keep the hose or the like to be connected to the ports14,16,18, and20compact in the circumferential direction of the first peripheral wall12and to thereby save the space around the mixing valve1.

Also, the first inlet port14, the second inlet port16, the outlet port18, and the discharge port20are provided to project in the radial direction of the housing2from the first peripheral wall12on the same radial-direction plane of the housing2. In this manner, it is possible to further effectively promote the formation of the mixing valve1in a compact size, the improvement in workability when the mixing valve1is installed, and the space saving around the mixing valve1described above.

Also, the opening area of the mixing pipe36at the opening end42is a size that allows communication with the entire region of the third opening26of the outlet port18in the entire rotation range of the rotor4. In this manner, the flow of the mixed fluid MF is not hindered regardless of the rotation position of the rotor4, and it is thus possible to more reliably avoid influences on devices disposed on the upstream side of the mixing valve1.

Moreover, the third peripheral wall44of the mixing pipe36has an enlarged pipe shape with a diameter increasing from the connecting portion40toward the opening end42. It is thus possible to reduce the diameters of the drive shaft4aand the pipe portion4bof the rotor4while securing the aforementioned opening area of the mixing pipe36at the opening end42. Therefore, it is possible to further effectively promote the formation of the mixing valve1in a compact size.

Also, when the aforementioned fluid inflow angle α and fluid mixing angle β are defined, the fluid mixing angle β is smaller than the fluid inflow angle α. It is thus possible to secure a broader region between the first inlet port14and the second inlet port16than the rotation region of the rotor4around the rotation center C at the center. Therefore, it is possible to form the first non-communication region50and/or the second non-communication region52, to cause the first fluid F1and/or the second fluid F2to flow into the valve chamber6, and to discharge the first fluid F1and/or the second fluid F2as the discharge fluid DF from the discharge port20.

Therefore, it is possible to realize the mixing valve1that does not hinder the flow of the fluid on the upstream side and can minimize influences on devices disposed on the upstream side merely by adjustment of setting the positions of the first inlet port14and the second inlet port16in the housing2and the positions of the first inflow pipe32and the second inflow pipe34in the rotor4such that the fluid mixing angle β is smaller than the fluid inflow angle α.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described hitherto, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the rotor4with a fluid mixing angle β of substantially 180 degrees may be employed as illustrated inFIG.11, and in this case, it is only necessary to provide the second inlet port16to project at a position at an angle that is substantially larger than 180 degrees in the clockwise circumferential direction of the first peripheral wall12from the first inlet port14.

In this manner, the fluid inflow angle α is larger than 180 degrees, and the fluid mixing angle β is thus smaller than the fluid inflow angle α. Therefore, since the aforementioned relationship between the fluid inflow angle α and the fluid mixing angle β is established in this case as well, it is possible to realize the mixing valve1that does not hinder the flow of the fluid on the upstream side. Also, the first inlet port14, the second inlet port16, the outlet port18, and the discharge port20may not be provided to project in the radial direction of the housing2from the first peripheral wall12like the second inlet port16illustrated inFIG.11.

Moreover, the aforementioned mixing pipe36has an enlarged pipe shape. However, the mixing pipe36is not limited thereto and may have a square pipe shape in which the third peripheral wall44does not have a diameter increasing from the connecting portion40toward the opening end42as illustrated inFIGS.12and13, for example, or may have a simple pipe shape. Also, the mixing valve1according to the present embodiment can be used not only to mix cooling water and warm water in the aforementioned temperature adjustment system56but also to mix various fluids that are not limited to liquids but also include gas in systems for various kinds of adjustment that is not limited to temperature adjustment.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST