Patent ID: 7438062

Claim:
A flow passage switching valve comprising: a housing formed with an inlet port through which a fluid discharged from an engine flows in the housing and an outlet port through which the fluid flows out of the housing; a valve element of a swing arm type for allowing and interrupting communication between the inlet port and the outlet port to switch a flow passage; a valve shaft fixed to the swing arm type valve element; a bearing which rotatably supports the valve shaft; an actuator for rotating the valve shaft to swing the swing arm type valve element; and further comprising a thrust stopper for preventing movement of the valve shaft in a thrust direction; wherein the housing is formed with: a first passage communicated with the inlet port; a second passage communicated with the outlet port; a bypass passage which provides communication between the first passage and the second passage; an introduction port through which the fluid having flowed in the first passage is introduced into an external part attachable to the flow passage switching valve; and a discharge port through which the fluid introduced into the external part is discharged into the second passage.