Patent ID: 7775502

Claim:
A ball valve comprising: a valve body that is rotatable about a given rotational axis and has a communication hole extending through the valve body along an imaginary surface orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to the rotational axis, a housing that accommodates the valve body and has at least two communication passages that each have inside and outside open ends and are communicated with each other through the communication hole, and an annular seat member that is disposed on the peripheral edge of each of at least one of inside open ends of the at least two communication passages, wherein the valve body is rotatable while being kept out of contact or substantial contact with the seat member, the valve body has a non-through opening portion and is movable towards and away from the seat member while the non-through opening portion is kept facing the seat member, so that the non-through opening portion is brought into tight contact with the seat member, thereby shutting off fluid communication between the at least two communication passages, said ball valve further comprising: a first shaft that extends into the housing and is connected to the valve body so as to be capable of transmitting rotational force about the rotational axis to the valve body, and a second shaft that extends into the housing to be oppositely located to the first shaft with the valve body there between and is rotatable about an axis coaxial or parallel with the first shaft, and has a pressing part that projects radially outwardly from at least a part of the outer circumference of a first end of the second shaft located inside the housing, wherein the second shaft is capable of rotating independently of the first shaft, wherein the valve body has a pressed part that is pressed by the pressing part towards the seat member while the non-through opening portion of the valve body is kept facing the seat member, and wherein the valve body is tilted around a portion close to the first shaft.