Patent ID: 8347831

Claim:
A control valve for a fluid flow circuit comprising a body ( 12 ) that has a fluid inlet ( 18 ) and at least two fluid outlets ( 20 , 22 , 24 ) and that defines an axisymmetric housing, a modulating member ( 26 ) disposed within the housing and capable of rotating about an axis of rotation (XX) for adopting different angular positions to control the distribution of the fluid through the outlets, the body ( 12 ) comprising at least one side wall ( 16 ) with the side wall ( 16 ) having a developed shape which defines a full length, wherein the side wall ( 16 ) comprises sunken areas (EV) and non-sunken areas (CR) with the modulating member ( 26 ) in contact with the non-sunken areas (CR) and the sunken areas (EV) serving to reduce a surface area of the modulating member ( 26 ) in contact with the side wall ( 16 ), and at least one of the non-sunken areas (CR) of the side wall ( 16 ) extends along all of the full length of the developed shape.