阅读说明：本技术 电磁致动器 (Electromagnetic actuator ) 是由 伊藤彰浩 纐缬雅之 山内雅也 鹤贺寿和 于 2018-10-16 设计创作，主要内容包括：流量比控制阀(10)具有：一对板簧(51),所述一对板簧朝向预定方向施加与变形量对应的弹力；阀体(31),由一对板簧(51)支承为能够朝向预定方向移动；驱动部(70),通过在预定方向上作用于一对板簧(51)之间的电磁力,以非接触的方式向预定方向驱动阀体(31)；容器(21、24、27),内部容纳有板簧(51)及阀体(31)；以及减震器(60),安装在阀体(31)上,形成由减震器(60)与容器(21、24、27)的内表面划定的预定空间,在减震器(60)与容器(21、24、27)的内表面之间形成使预定空间的内部与外部在预定方向上连通的预定间隙。(The flow ratio control valve (10) is provided with: a pair of leaf springs (51) that apply an elastic force corresponding to the amount of deformation in a predetermined direction; a valve body (31) supported by a pair of leaf springs (51) so as to be movable in a predetermined direction; a drive unit (70) that drives the valve body (31) in a predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by means of electromagnetic force acting between the pair of leaf springs (51) in the predetermined direction; a container (21, 24, 27) in which a leaf spring (51) and a valve body (31) are housed; and a damper (60) mounted on the valve body (31), forming a predetermined space defined by the damper (60) and an inner surface of the container (21, 24, 27), and forming a predetermined gap between the damper (60) and the inner surface of the container (21, 24, 27) for communicating the inside and the outside of the predetermined space in a predetermined direction.)

1. An electromagnetic actuator comprising:

a pair of plate springs that apply an elastic force corresponding to the amount of deformation in a predetermined direction;

a movable member supported by the pair of leaf springs so as to be movable in the predetermined direction;

a driving section that drives the movable member in the predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by an electromagnetic force acting between the pair of leaf springs in the predetermined direction;

a container in which the leaf spring and the movable member are accommodated; and

a damper mounted on the movable member, forming a predetermined space defined by the damper and an inner surface of the container, and forming a predetermined gap between the damper and the inner surface of the container, which communicates an inside and an outside of the predetermined space in the predetermined direction.

2. The electromagnetic actuator of claim 1,

the movable member is a valve body having an opening flow path formed on a predetermined surface and opening in the predetermined direction by a predetermined length,

the electromagnetic actuator comprises a main body and a plurality of electromagnetic elements,

a plurality of ports are formed in the body in the predetermined direction at intervals shorter than the predetermined length, and connection flow paths connected to the plurality of ports, respectively, are formed in the body, wherein the ports open on an opposing surface opposing the predetermined surface,

the body is housed inside the container.

3. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the damper is mounted on an outer side of the plate spring with respect to the movable member in the predetermined direction.

4. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 3, wherein the damper is formed in a plate shape, and the predetermined gap is formed in a ring shape between the inner surface and an outer peripheral surface of the damper.

5. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 4, wherein the damper is fixed to the movable member in such a manner that a main surface having a largest area is perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

6. The electromagnetic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a size of the predetermined gap is maintained constant when the movable member is driven in the predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by the driving portion.

7. The electromagnetic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the predetermined space is formed at an end of the container in the predetermined direction.

8. The electromagnetic actuator according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the predetermined gap is 0.2mm to 5mm in size.

9. An electromagnetic actuator, comprising:

a pair of plate springs that apply an elastic force corresponding to the amount of deformation in a predetermined direction;

a valve body supported by the pair of leaf springs to be movable in the predetermined direction to control a liquid flow state;

a driving portion that drives the valve body in the predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by an electromagnetic force acting between the pair of plate springs in the predetermined direction;

a container in which the plate spring and the valve body are accommodated; and

a damper mounted on the valve body to form a predetermined gap between the damper and an inner surface of the container, the liquid passing through the predetermined gap toward the predetermined direction.

10. The electromagnetic actuator of claim 9,

an opening flow path opened on a predetermined surface in the predetermined direction by a predetermined length is formed on the valve body,

the electromagnetic actuator comprises a main body and a plurality of electromagnetic elements,

a plurality of ports are formed in the body in the predetermined direction at intervals shorter than the predetermined length, and connection flow paths connected to the plurality of ports, respectively, are formed in the body, wherein the ports open on an opposing surface opposing the predetermined surface,

the body is housed inside the container.

11. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the damper is mounted on an outer side of the plate spring with respect to the valve body in the predetermined direction.

12. The electromagnetic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the electromagnetic actuator has a positioning pin that restricts rotation of the damper along a plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

Technical Field

The present application relates to an electromagnetic actuator that drives a movable member by an electromagnetic force.

Background

Conventionally, as such an electromagnetic actuator, there is disclosed a flow path switching valve in which both end portions of a valve body are supported by leaf springs so as to form a gap between the valve body (movable member) and a main body, and the valve body is driven to and fro in a non-contact manner by an electromagnetic force (see patent document 1). According to such a configuration, the valve body can be driven to and fro without rubbing against the main body, and therefore, the responsiveness of switching the flow path can be improved.

Disclosure of Invention

The inventors of the present application paid attention to the fact that in the flow path switching valve described in patent document 1, although the generation of frictional force when driving the valve body can be suppressed, if the valve body starts to vibrate in the direction in which the elastic force of the leaf spring acts, the vibration of the valve body is hard to stop.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a main object thereof is to provide an electromagnetic actuator capable of improving the response of driving a movable member and suppressing vibration of the movable member.

Means for solving the problems

A first aspect for solving the above problem is an electromagnetic actuator including: a pair of plate springs that apply an elastic force corresponding to a deformation amount in a predetermined direction; a movable member supported by the pair of leaf springs so as to be movable in the predetermined direction; a driving portion that drives the movable member in the predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by an electromagnetic force acting between the pair of plate springs in the predetermined direction; a container in which the leaf spring and the movable member are accommodated; and a damper mounted on the movable member, forming a predetermined space defined by the damper and an inner surface of the container, and forming a predetermined gap between the damper and the inner surface of the container, which communicates an inside and an outside of the predetermined space in the predetermined direction.

According to the above configuration, the pair of leaf springs apply an elastic force corresponding to the amount of deformation of the leaf springs in a predetermined direction. Since the movable member is supported by the pair of leaf springs so as to be movable in the predetermined direction, the movable member can be supported in a non-sliding and movable manner. The movable member is driven in a predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by an electromagnetic force acting from the driving unit. As a result, no frictional force is generated when the movable member is driven, and the responsiveness of driving the movable member can be improved. The movable member is supported by a pair of leaf springs, and an electromagnetic force acts between the pair of leaf springs in the predetermined direction. Therefore, the movable member can be suppressed from rattling when driven.

The leaf spring and the movable member are housed inside the container. The damper is mounted on the movable member to form a predetermined space defined by the inner surface of the container and the damper. And, a predetermined gap that communicates the inside and the outside of the predetermined space in a predetermined direction is formed between the inner surface of the container and the damper. Therefore, when the damper is driven in a predetermined direction together with the movable member, the fluid flows into or out of the predetermined space through the predetermined gap toward or from the inside of the predetermined space. Therefore, a damping force for damping the vibration of the movable member can be applied by the resistance of the fluid when passing through the predetermined gap, and the vibration of the movable member can be suppressed. Further, since the vibration of the movable member can be damped without sliding of the movable member relative to the other member, a decrease in the response of the movable member can be suppressed.

In a second aspect, the movable member is a valve body having an opening flow path formed on a predetermined surface and opened by a predetermined length in the predetermined direction, the electromagnetic actuator includes a main body having a plurality of ports formed in the predetermined direction and arranged at intervals shorter than the predetermined length, and having connection flow paths connected to the plurality of ports, respectively, wherein the ports are opened on an opposing surface opposing the predetermined surface, and the main body is accommodated in the interior of the container.

According to the above configuration, the fluid can flow through the connection flow path formed in the main body, and flow into and out of the ports connected to the connection flow paths. An opening flow path that opens in a predetermined direction by a predetermined length on a predetermined surface is formed on the valve body. In the main body, a plurality of ports that open on an opposing surface opposing the predetermined surface are formed in the predetermined direction in an array at intervals shorter than the predetermined length. Therefore, by driving the valve body in the predetermined direction by the driving portion, it is possible to control a state in which the plurality of ports are connected via the opening flow path of the valve body, that is, to control a flow state of the fluid.

Further, a main body is accommodated in a container in which the leaf spring and the valve body (movable member) are accommodated. Therefore, the fluid flowing into the periphery of the valve body from the port flows through the inside of the container, passes through the predetermined gap, and flows into or out of the predetermined space. Therefore, the fluid to be controlled in the flow state by the valve body can be used as a fluid for damping the vibration of the movable member, and it is not necessary to separately prepare a fluid dedicated for the damper.

In a third aspect, the damper is mounted on an outer side of the leaf spring with respect to the movable member in the predetermined direction. Therefore, compared to a structure in which the damper is mounted further inside the leaf spring with respect to the movable member in the predetermined direction, the predetermined space defined by the inner surface of the container and the damper is easily reduced, and the predetermined space can be easily formed.

In the fourth aspect, the damper is formed in a plate shape, and the predetermined gap is formed in a ring shape between the inner surface and an outer peripheral surface of the damper.

According to the above configuration, since the damper is formed in a plate shape, the shape of the damper can be simplified, and the space for disposing the damper can be reduced. Further, the predetermined gap is formed in a ring shape between the inner surface of the container and the outer peripheral surface of the damper. Therefore, the resistance of the fluid is suppressed from being unevenly applied to a part of the damper, and the attitude of the damper and, therefore, the attitude of the movable member can be easily stabilized.

In a fifth aspect, the damper is fixed to the movable member such that a main surface having a largest area is perpendicular to the predetermined direction. Therefore, when the damper is driven in the predetermined direction together with the movable member, the fluid can be brought into contact with the damper perpendicularly, the damper can be prevented from tilting, and the movable member can be prevented from tilting.

In the sixth aspect, the size of the predetermined gap is maintained constant when the movable member is driven in the predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by the driving portion. Therefore, when the movable member is driven, the flow of the fluid flowing through the predetermined gap can be prevented from changing, and the attitude of the damper and hence the attitude of the movable member can be easily stabilized.

In the seventh aspect, the predetermined space is formed at an end of the container in the predetermined direction. Therefore, in the electromagnetic actuator, a predetermined space can be easily secured, and interference between other components and the damper can be easily prevented.

Specifically, as described in the eighth aspect, a structure may be adopted in which the predetermined gap is 0.2mm to 5mm in size. With this configuration, an appropriate damping force can be applied to the driven movable member, vibration of the movable member can be damped, and a decrease in the response of the movable member can be suppressed. In addition, the size of the predetermined gap may be changed according to the kind or characteristics of the fluid.

A ninth aspect is an electromagnetic actuator, wherein the electromagnetic actuator includes:

a pair of plate springs that apply an elastic force corresponding to a deformation amount in a predetermined direction;

a valve body supported by the pair of leaf springs to be movable in the predetermined direction to control a liquid flow state;

a driving portion that drives the valve body in the predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by an electromagnetic force acting between the pair of plate springs in the predetermined direction;

a container in which the plate spring and the valve body are accommodated; and

a damper mounted on the valve body to form a predetermined gap between the damper and an inner surface of the container, the liquid passing through the predetermined gap toward the predetermined direction.

According to the above configuration, the flow state of the liquid is controlled by the valve body. A shock absorber is mounted on the valve body, and a predetermined gap is formed between the inner surface of the container and the shock absorber. Also, the damper passes the liquid through a predetermined gap in a predetermined direction. Therefore, when the damper is driven in the predetermined direction together with the valve body, a damping force for damping the vibration of the valve body acts by the resistance when the liquid flows through the predetermined gap, and the vibration of the valve body can be prevented. Further, when the valve body does not slide relative to the other member, the vibration of the valve body can be damped, and therefore, the reduction in the responsiveness of the valve body can be suppressed. Further, since the liquid to be controlled in the flow state by the valve body is used as the liquid for damping the vibration of the valve body, it is not necessary to separately prepare a liquid dedicated to the shock absorber.

In a tenth aspect, an opening flow path that opens on a predetermined surface with a predetermined length in the predetermined direction is formed on the valve body, the electromagnetic actuator includes a main body that is formed with a plurality of ports that open on an opposing surface opposing the predetermined surface, which are arranged at intervals shorter than the predetermined length in the predetermined direction, and that is formed with connection flow paths that are connected to the plurality of ports, respectively, and that is accommodated inside the container. With this configuration, the same operational effects as in the second aspect can be achieved.

In the eleventh aspect, the shock absorber is mounted on an outer side of the plate spring with respect to the valve body in the predetermined direction. With such a configuration, the same operational effects as in the third embodiment can be obtained.

In a twelfth aspect, the electromagnetic actuator has a positioning pin that restricts rotation of the damper along a plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

According to the above structure, the rotation of the damper along the plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction is restricted by the positioning pin. Therefore, the damper can be reliably prevented from rotating and changing the predetermined gap, the attitude of the damper can be prevented, and the attitude of the movable member can be prevented from changing.

Drawings

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present application will become more apparent by referring to the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a flow ratio control valve.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the periphery of a port of the valve structure.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a port, a body, a plate spring, a magnet, and the like.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which one side port and the first body are removed from fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing the flow ratio control valve.

Fig. 6 is a perspective sectional view showing a valve structure.

Fig. 7 is a front sectional view showing a valve structure in a non-excited state.

Fig. 8 is a front sectional view showing a valve structure in an excited state in the negative direction.

Fig. 9 is a front sectional view showing a valve structure in an excited state in the forward direction.

Fig. 10 is a graph showing a relationship among a drive current, a flow rate, and a vibration generation range.

Fig. 11 is a time chart showing the B port pressure of the flow ratio control valve of the comparative example.

Fig. 12 is a time chart showing the B port pressure of the flow rate ratio control valve of the present embodiment.

Fig. 13 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing a modification of the valve structure.

Fig. 14 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the drive current and the flow rate.

Fig. 15 is a graph showing a modification of the relationship between the drive current and the flow rate.

Fig. 16 is a graph showing another modification of the relationship between the drive current and the flow rate.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, a description will be given of a specific embodiment in which the present application is applied to a flow ratio control valve for controlling a flow ratio of refrigerant (liquid) supplied from a common port to two output ports, with reference to the drawings.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, the flow ratio control valve 10 (corresponding to an electromagnetic actuator) includes a valve mechanism 20 and a drive unit 70. The valve mechanism 20 and the driving portion 70 are connected by a connecting member 24. The driving portion 70 drives the valve body 31 of the valve mechanism 20 (see fig. 4).

The valve mechanism 20 includes the housing 21, the valve body 31, a first body 41A (main body), a second body 41B, a plate spring 51, a cover 27, and the like. The housing 21, the valve body 31, the first body 41A, the second body 41B, the plate spring 51, and the cover 27 are formed of a non-magnetic body.

Fig. 2 shows the flow ratio control valve 10 of fig. 1 without the driving unit 70. As shown in fig. 2, the housing 21 is formed in a quadrangular tube shape (composed of a plurality of members). The housing 21 is provided with a C0 port (common port) to which refrigerant (corresponding to fluid) is input, an a0 port (first output port) to which refrigerant is output, and a B0 port (second output port) to which refrigerant is output. The C0 port, a0 port, and B0 port were formed of non-magnetic bodies. An input flow path, a first output flow path, and a second output flow path are connected to the C0 port, the a0 port, and the B0 port, respectively. The input flow path opens on the inner surface of the housing 21. The first output flow path and the second output flow path are connected to the first body 41A.

Fig. 3 shows a state in which the housing 21 and the cover 27 are removed from the valve mechanism 20 of fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a state in which the C0 port and the a0 port, the B0 port on one side, the first body 41A are removed from the valve mechanism 20 of fig. 3. The valve body 31, the main bodies 41A and 41B, the leaf spring 51, the magnets 74A, 74B, 75A, 75B, and the like are accommodated in the housing 21. The bodies 41A, 41b are formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape (flat plate shape). The first body 41A is fixed to the housing 21. The second body 41B is fixed to the first body 41A. The valve body 31 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape (flat plate shape).

The valve body 31 is disposed between the second bodies 41B disposed in parallel. A gap is formed between the second body 41B and the valve body 31. That is, the second body 41B and the valve body 31 are in a non-contact state.

The valve body 31 is fixed to the second body 41B by a plate spring 51. Specifically, the leaf springs 51 are attached to both ends 36 of the valve body 31 in the longitudinal direction. The plate spring 51 is formed in a rectangular plate shape from an elastic material such as spring steel. A slit 51a is formed at a predetermined portion of the plate spring 51. The plate spring 51 is formed in a meandering predetermined pattern by forming slits 51a in the plate spring 51. The thickness of the plate spring 51 is set so that the plate spring 51 has a predetermined rigidity and the plate spring 51 generates a predetermined elastic force. The two short side portions 51B of the plate spring 51 are fixed to the second body 41B, respectively. The plate spring 51 is attached to the second body 41B such that a main surface (vertical surface in fig. 3 and 4) having the largest area is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the valve body 31. With such a configuration, the valve body 31 (corresponding to a movable member) is supported by the pair of leaf springs 51 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction (corresponding to a predetermined direction) of the valve body 31.

The predetermined surface 31a of the valve body 31 and the first surface 41B of the second body 41B are located on the same plane. As shown in fig. 6, the opposed surface 41A of the first body 41A is opposed to the predetermined surface 31A of the valve body 31. And, the first surface 41B of the second body 41B is opposed to the opposed surface 41A of the first body 41A. A gap is formed between the predetermined surface 31A of the valve body 31 and the opposing surface 41A of the first body 41A. Thus, there is no portion of the valve body 31 that slides relative to other components.

As shown in fig. 6, two opening flow paths 32 that open with a predetermined length L1 in the longitudinal direction of the valve element 31 (hereinafter referred to as "predetermined direction") are formed on the predetermined surface 31a of the valve element 31, the opening flow paths 32 penetrate the valve element 31 in the direction perpendicular to the predetermined surface 31a and are long holes each having a long axis with a predetermined length L1, and the opening flow paths 32 are recessed portions formed on the predetermined surface 31a side of the valve element 31, respectively, and may not penetrate the valve element 31.

The first body 41A is formed with a port A1B, a port C1B, and a port B1B (corresponding to a plurality of ports) that open to the opposing surface 41A, the port A1B, the port C1B, and the port B1B are formed so as to be aligned at an interval L2 shorter than a predetermined length L1 in the longitudinal direction of the valve body 31, the first body 41A is formed with connection flow paths 42, 43, and 44 that are connected to the port A1B, the port C1B, and the port B1B, respectively, the connection flow paths 42, 43, and 44 are connected to the first output flow path, the input flow path, and the second output flow path, respectively, the connection flow path 43 is connected to the input flow path via a space in the housing 21, and the space in the housing 21 is sealed by a sealing member 47 and a sealing member 48 (see fig. 3).

The predetermined surface 31a of the valve body 31 and the opposed surface 41a of the main body 41 are processed to a predetermined flatness. Further, the plate spring 51 supports the valve body 31 in such a manner that the predetermined surface 31a and the opposing surface 41a become a predetermined parallelism. Specifically, both ends 36 of the valve body 31 in the longitudinal direction penetrate through the center of the plate spring 51 and are fixed.

The plate spring 51 applies an elastic force to the valve body 31 in accordance with the amount of movement of the valve body 31 in the longitudinal direction of the valve body 31 (the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the plate spring 51). Specifically, the plate spring 51 applies an elastic force to the valve body 31 in proportion to the amount of movement of the valve body 31 in the longitudinal direction of the valve body 31, that is, the amount of deformation of the plate spring 51.

Dampers 60 are attached to both end portions 36 of the valve body 31 in the predetermined direction. That is, the damper 60 is mounted to the valve body 31 at a position further outside than the plate spring 51 in the predetermined direction. The damper 60 is formed in a rectangular plate shape. The damper 60 is formed in a shape in which an outer peripheral surface 61 thereof follows the inner surface 21a of the housing 21. Thereby, an annular predetermined gap 61g is formed between the inner surface 21a of the housing 21 and the outer peripheral surface 61 of the damper 60. The damper 60 is fixed to the valve body 31 so that the main surface 62 having the largest area is perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

The predetermined space 68 is defined by the inner surface 21a of the housing 21, the inner surface 27a of the cover 27, and the damper 60. The predetermined space 68 is formed in the predetermined direction at an end portion of the container constituted by the housing 21, the cover 27, and the connection member 24, specifically, at the cover 27. The predetermined space 69 is defined by the inner surface 21a of the housing 21, the inner surface 24a of the connecting member 24, and the damper 60. The predetermined space 69 is formed in the predetermined direction at an end portion of the container constituted by the case 21, the cover 27, and the connection member 24, specifically, at the connection member 24. The valve body 31, the plate spring 51, the first body 41A, and the second body 41B are accommodated in the container.

The predetermined gap 61g communicates the inside and outside of the predetermined spaces 68, 69 in the above-described predetermined direction. The size of the predetermined gap 61g is set to 0.2mm to 5mm according to the kind and characteristics of the refrigerant (fluid). If the predetermined gap 61g is too small, the flow resistance of the refrigerant flowing through the predetermined gap 61g becomes too large, and the responsiveness of the valve body 31 may be reduced. On the other hand, if the predetermined gap 61g is too large, the flow resistance of the refrigerant flowing through the predetermined gap 61g becomes too small, and there is a possibility that the vibration damping effect of the valve body 31 becomes small. The damper 60 is positioned on the valve body 31 by two positioning pins (not shown). The two positioning pins restrict the rotation of the damper 60 along a plane perpendicular to the above-mentioned predetermined direction.

Next, the structure of the driving unit 70 will be described with reference to fig. 1 and 5. The driving unit 70 includes cores 71(71a, 71B), a coil 72, magnets 74A, 74B, 75A, 75B, and the like.

The core 71 is formed in a U shape from a paramagnetic material. A coil 72 is attached to the outer periphery of a U-shaped bottom portion 71a of the core 71. The pair of U-shaped straight portions 71b of the core 71 are parallel to each other.

Magnets 74A and 75A and magnets 74B and 75B are attached to the pair of linear portions 71B, respectively. The magnets 74A to 75B are permanent magnets formed of a ferromagnetic material. The magnets 74A to 75B are formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The magnets 74A and 75B are attached to the linear portion 71B of the core 71 such that the S-pole is located on the linear portion 71B side of the core 71 and the N-pole is located on the valve element 31 (movable element 76) side. The magnets 74B and 75A are attached to the linear portion 71B of the core 71 such that the N-pole is located on the linear portion 71B side of the core 71 and the S-pole is located on the valve element 31 (movable element 76) side. The N-pole of magnet 74A is opposite the S-pole of magnet 74B, and the S-pole of magnet 75A is opposite the N-pole of magnet 75B. The opposed surfaces of the magnets 74A, 74B are parallel to each other, and the opposed surfaces of the magnets 75A, 75B are parallel to each other. In the longitudinal direction of the valve body 31 (hereinafter referred to as "predetermined direction"), the magnet 74A and the magnet 75A are arranged at a predetermined interval, and the magnet 74B and the magnet 75B are similarly arranged at a predetermined interval.

The movable element 76 is formed in a rectangular tube shape from a paramagnetic material, and the movable element 76 is formed in the predetermined direction such that a width L3 of the movable element 76 is shorter than a distance L4 between an end surface of the magnet 74B (74A) on the side of the connection member 24 and an end surface of the magnet 75B (75A) on the side of the cap 27, the valve body 31 passes through a hollow portion of the movable element 76, and the movable element 76 is fixed to the center of the valve body 31 in the predetermined direction, that is, the movable element 76 is fixed to a portion of the valve body 31 between the pair of leaf springs 51, and the movable element 76 does not contact with a member other than the valve body 31 in the valve body 31.

In the predetermined direction, the movable element 76 is disposed at a central position (neutral position) between the magnet 74A (74B) and the magnet 75A (75B) by the magnetic force of the magnets 74A, 74B, 75A, and 75B. In this state, the movable element 76 is fixed to the valve body 31 supported by the pair of leaf springs 51 in the natural state. That is, in the driving portion 70, the position of the movable element 76 in a state where the plate spring 51 naturally supports the valve body 31 is set to a neutral position where the electromagnetic force that reciprocally drives the valve body 31 (movable element 76) in the predetermined direction does not act. The driving unit 70 drives the valve body 31 in the predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by an electromagnetic force acting on the movable element 76 between the pair of leaf springs 51 in the predetermined direction. When the valve body 31 is driven in the predetermined direction by the driving portion 70, the size of the predetermined gap 61g is maintained. That is, the size of the predetermined gap 61g is fixed regardless of the position of the damper 60 in the above-described predetermined direction.

Next, a principle of driving the valve body 31 by the driving portion 70 to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction (predetermined direction) of the valve body 31 will be described with reference to fig. 7 to 9.

In a non-excited state in which no current flows through the coil 72 of the drive unit 70, as shown in fig. 7, a magnetic field is generated from the N-pole of the magnet 74A toward the S-pole of the magnet 74B, and a magnetic field is generated from the N-pole of the magnet 75B toward the S-pole of the magnet 74B. In this state, the movable element 76 is balanced and stationary at the neutral position in the above-described predetermined direction. In this state, the pair of leaf springs 51 are in a natural state, and no biasing force is applied from the pair of leaf springs 51 to the valve body 31. In this state, as shown in fig. 6, the A1B port and the B1B port of the first body 41A are opened by the valve body 31 by predetermined amounts, respectively.

In the negative-direction excitation state in which a negative-direction current flows through the coil 72 of the driving unit 70, a coil magnetic field is generated from the upper linear portion 71b of the core 71 toward the lower linear portion 71b as indicated by an arrow H1 in fig. 8. Therefore, the magnetic field from the N-pole of the magnet 74A toward the S-pole of the magnet 74B and the coil magnetic field are mutually intensified, and the magnetic field from the N-pole of the magnet 75B toward the S-pole of the magnet 75A and the coil magnetic field are mutually weakened. As a result, the movable element 76 receives a magnetic force that is attracted in a direction toward the connection member 24. Then, as indicated by an arrow F1, the valve body 31 is moved in the direction of an arrow F1 together with the movable piece 76. At this time, the driving portion 70 drives the valve body 31 in a non-contact manner by electromagnetic force, and the valve body 31 is driven in a non-contact manner with the main bodies 41A and 41B. On the other hand, the pair of leaf springs 51 apply a resistance to the valve body 31 in proportion to the amount of movement of the valve body 31. In fig. 6, when the valve body 31 is driven in the direction toward the connection member 24, the range in which the port C1b and the port A1b of the first body 41A communicate with each other via the opening flow path 32 of the valve body 31 is enlarged. On the other hand, the range in which the port C1B and the port B1B of the first body 41A communicate with each other through the opening flow path 32 of the valve body 31 is reduced. That is, the flow rate ratio of the refrigerant supplied from the C1B port (C0 port) to the A1B port (a0 port) is increased, and the flow rate ratio of the refrigerant supplied to the B1B port (B0 port) is decreased.

Here, the same refrigerant is caused to flow through the port C1b of each first body 41A. Thereby, the pressure generated by the refrigerant flowing from the C1b port of each first body 41A toward the valve body 31 is cancelled.

In the positive-direction excitation state in which the positive-direction current flows through the coil 72 of the driving unit 70, a coil magnetic field is generated from the lower linear portion 71b of the core 71 toward the upper linear portion 71b, as indicated by an arrow H2 in fig. 9. Therefore, the magnetic field from the N-pole of the magnet 74A toward the S-pole of the magnet 74B and the coil magnetic field weaken each other, and the magnetic field from the N-pole of the magnet 75B toward the S-pole of the magnet 75A and the coil magnetic field strengthen each other. As a result, the movable element 76 receives a magnetic force that is attracted in the direction toward the lid 27. Then, as indicated by an arrow F2, the valve body 31 is moved together with the movable piece 76 in the direction of an arrow F2. At this time, the driving portion 70 drives the valve body 31 in a non-contact manner by electromagnetic force, and the valve body 31 is driven in a non-contact manner with the main bodies 41A and 41B. On the other hand, the pair of leaf springs 51 apply a resistance to the valve body 31 in proportion to the amount of movement of the valve body 31. In fig. 6, when the valve body 31 is driven in the direction toward the cover 27, the range in which the port C1B and the port B1B of the first body 41A communicate with each other via the opening flow path 32 of the valve body 31 is enlarged. On the other hand, the range in which the port C1b and the port A1b of the first body 41A communicate with each other via the opening flow path 32 of the valve body 31 is reduced. That is, the flow rate ratio of the refrigerant supplied from the C1B port (C0 port) to the B1B port (B0 port) increases, and the flow rate ratio of the refrigerant supplied to the A1B port (a0 port) decreases.

Here, as shown in fig. 10, the inventors of the present application paid attention to that the valve body 31 vibrates in a specific range (shaded range) where the flow rate of the refrigerant supplied from the C port (C0 port, C1B port) toward the B port (B0 port, B1B port) is larger than the flow rate of the refrigerant supplied from the C port toward the a port (a0 port, A1B port) without the damper 60. In this case, as shown in fig. 11, in the comparative example without the damper 60, the pressure of the refrigerant supplied to the B port greatly fluctuates at a frequency of 22 Hz.

The reason for this is considered that, when the valve body 31 moves in the direction of the cover 27 as shown in fig. 9, the fluid of the refrigerant comes into contact with the leaf spring 51 in a bent state as shown by an arrow Q. Specifically, when the flow velocity of the refrigerant flowing along the main surface of the plate spring increases, a vortex is generated in the fluid of the refrigerant, and an irregular force acts on the plate spring by the vortex. It is considered that, as in a state where a flag flutters in the wind, the plate spring 51 resonates due to the flow of the refrigerant, and the valve body 31 vibrates in a predetermined direction. Further, since there is no sliding portion in the valve body 31, when the valve body 31 starts to vibrate, a force for damping the vibration hardly acts, and the vibration of the valve body 31 is hardly stopped.

In view of this problem, in the present embodiment, the damper 60 is attached to the valve body 31. Therefore, when the valve body 31 vibrates in the predetermined direction, the refrigerant flows into the predetermined space 68 or flows out from the predetermined space 68. Since resistance is generated when the refrigerant passes through the predetermined gap 61g and a force for preventing the damper 60 from moving is applied, a damping force for damping the vibration of the valve body 31 acts on the valve body 31. As a result, as shown in fig. 12, in the present embodiment including the damper 60, the pressure of the refrigerant supplied to the B port can be prevented from varying.

The present embodiment described in detail above has the following advantages.

An elastic force corresponding to the amount of deformation of the plate spring 51 is applied in a predetermined direction by the pair of plate springs 51. Since the valve body 31 is supported by the pair of leaf springs 51 so as to be movable in the predetermined direction, the valve body 31 can be supported in a non-sliding and movable manner. Further, the valve body 31 is driven in a predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by the electromagnetic force exerted by the driving portion 70. As a result, no frictional force is generated when driving the valve body 31, and the response of the driven valve body 31 can be improved. Further, since the valve body 31 is driven in a non-sliding manner, the valve body 31 is not worn and can be used semi-permanently as compared with a general valve body accompanied by sliding.

The valve body 31 is supported by a pair of leaf springs 51, and electromagnetic force acts between the pair of leaf springs 51 in the predetermined direction. Therefore, the valve body 31 can be prevented from rattling when driven.

The leaf spring 51 and the valve body 31 are housed inside the container. The shock absorber 60 is mounted on the valve body 31, forming predetermined spaces 68, 69 defined by the inner surfaces 21a, 27a, 24a of the container and the shock absorber 60. Further, a predetermined gap 61g that causes the inside and outside of the predetermined spaces 68, 69 to communicate in a predetermined direction is formed between the inner surfaces 21a, 27a, 24a of the container and the damper 60. Therefore, when the damper 60 is driven in a predetermined direction together with the valve body 31, the refrigerant flows in and out toward the inside of the predetermined spaces 68, 69 through the predetermined gap 61 g. Therefore, the damping force for damping the vibration of the valve body 31 can be exerted by the resistance when the refrigerant passes through the predetermined gap 61g, and the vibration of the valve body 31 can be suppressed. Further, since the vibration of the valve body 31 can be damped without the valve body 31 sliding relative to other members, a decrease in the responsiveness of the valve body 31 can be suppressed.

The refrigerant can flow into and flow out of the ports A1B, C1B, B1B and the ports A1B, C1B and B1B connected to the connection passages 42, 43 and 44 by the connection passages 42, 43 and 44 formed in the first body 41A, the open passage 32 opened in a predetermined direction by a predetermined length L1 is formed in the valve body 31, a plurality of ports A1B, C1B and B1B opened in the opposed surface 41A opposed to the predetermined surface 31A are formed in the first body 41A so as to be aligned at an interval L2 shorter than the predetermined length L1 in the predetermined direction, and therefore, by driving the valve body 31 in the predetermined direction by the driving portion 70, the flow state of the refrigerant in which the ports A1B, C1B and B1B are connected via the opening of the valve body 31, that is, can be controlled.

The first body 41A is accommodated in a container in which the leaf spring 51 and the valve body 31 are accommodated. Therefore, the refrigerant flowing into the periphery of the valve body 31 from the port flows through the container, and flows into the predetermined spaces 68 and 69 through the predetermined gap 61g or flows out of the predetermined spaces 68 and 69. Therefore, the refrigerant to be controlled in the flow state by the valve body 31 can be used as a refrigerant for damping the vibration of the valve body 31, and it is not necessary to separately prepare a refrigerant dedicated to the damper 60.

The damper 60 is attached to the valve body 31 on the outer side of the leaf spring 51 in the predetermined direction. Therefore, the predetermined spaces 68 and 69 defined by the inner surfaces 21a, 27a and 24a of the container and the damper 60 are easily reduced, and the predetermined spaces 68 and 69 can be easily formed, as compared with a structure in which the damper 60 is mounted on the inner side of the leaf spring 51 with respect to the valve body 31 in the predetermined direction.

Since the damper 60 is formed in a plate shape, the shape of the damper 60 can be simplified, and the space for disposing the damper 60 can be reduced. The predetermined gap 61g is formed annularly between the inner surfaces 21a, 27a, 24a of the container and the outer peripheral surface 61 of the damper 60. Therefore, the resistance of the refrigerant is prevented from being unevenly applied to a part of the damper 60, and the posture of the damper 60 and, in turn, the posture of the valve body 31 can be easily stabilized.

The damper 60 is fixed to the valve body 31 so that the main surface 62 having the largest area is perpendicular to the predetermined direction. Therefore, when the damper 60 is driven in a predetermined direction together with the valve body 31, the refrigerant can be brought into contact with the damper 60 perpendicularly, the damper 60 can be prevented from tilting, and the valve body 31 can be prevented from tilting.

When the valve body 31 is driven in the predetermined direction by the driving portion 70 in a non-contact manner, the size of the predetermined gap 61g is maintained. Therefore, when the valve body 31 is driven, the change in the flow of the refrigerant passing through the predetermined gap 61g can be prevented, and the posture of the damper 60 and, therefore, the posture of the valve body 31 can be stabilized easily.

Predetermined spaces 68, 69 are formed at the ends of the container in the predetermined direction. Therefore, in the flow ratio control valve 10, the predetermined spaces 68 and 69 can be easily ensured, and the other components and the damper 60 can be easily prevented from interfering with each other.

The size of the predetermined gap 61g is set to 0.2mm to 5mm depending on the kind and characteristics of the refrigerant. Therefore, an appropriate damping force can be applied to the driven valve element 31, vibration of the valve element 31 can be damped, and a decrease in the response of the valve element 31 can be suppressed.

The rotation of the damper 60 along a plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction is restricted by the positioning pin. Therefore, the damper 60 can be reliably prevented from rotating and changing the predetermined gap 61g, the attitude of the damper 60 can be prevented, and the attitude of the valve body 31 can be prevented from changing.

The electromagnetic force is applied to the movable element 76 fixed to the valve body 31. Therefore, the movable element 76 to which the electromagnetic force acts can be provided separately from the valve body 31, and the degree of freedom in designing the valve body 31 can be improved.

The leaf spring 51 is fixed to the second body 41B such that the main surface having the largest area is perpendicular to the predetermined direction. Therefore, the structure of the plate spring 51 can be easily implemented as: the valve body 31 is supported in such a manner that a gap between the predetermined surface 31A of the valve body 31 and the opposing surface 41A of the first body 41A is maintained, and only the elastic force in the predetermined direction is made to act on the valve body 31.

Since the both end portions 36 of the valve body 31 are supported by the pair of leaf springs 51, the support of the valve body 31 is easily stabilized.

In the driving portion 70, the position of the valve body 31 (movable element 76) in a state where the plate spring 51 naturally supports the valve body 31 is set to a neutral position where the electromagnetic force for reciprocating the valve body 31 in a predetermined direction does not act. According to such a configuration, the leaf spring 51 supports the valve body 31 in a natural state, and the valve body 31 can be maintained at a neutral position in a predetermined direction without applying an electromagnetic force through the driving portion 70. Therefore, by controlling the electromagnetic force acting on the movable element 76 with reference to the neutral position, the valve body 31 can be reciprocatingly driven easily with good reproducibility. Further, the flow rate of the refrigerant in a state where the electromagnetic force is not applied by the driving portion 70 can be stabilized.

The predetermined surface 31A of the valve body 31 and the opposed surface 41A of the first body 41A are processed to a predetermined flatness. The plate spring 51 supports the valve body 31 in such a manner that the predetermined surface 31a and the opposing surface 41a become a predetermined parallelism. According to such a structure, since the flatness and parallelism of the prescribed surface 31a of the valve body 31 and the opposed surface 41a of the main body 41 are managed, the accuracy of the gap formed between the prescribed surface 31a and the opposed surface 41a can be improved.

The first body 41A is provided on both sides of the valve body 31 with the valve body 31 interposed therebetween. The first body 41A is formed with a plurality of similar A1B ports, C1B ports, and B1B ports. Therefore, by circulating the same refrigerant through the A1B port, the C1B port, and the B1B port of each first body 41A, the pressure generated by the refrigerant flowing from the C1B port of each first body 41A toward the valve body 31 can be cancelled. Therefore, the valve body 31 can be prevented from being displaced in a direction away from the C1b port by the pressure of the refrigerant flowing from the C1b port toward the valve body 31. Further, the required rigidity of the leaf spring 51 can be reduced, and a thinner leaf spring 51 can be used.

The above embodiments may be modified as follows.

The positioning pin may be omitted as long as the rotation of the damper 60 along the plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction can be restricted.

Even if there is a portion that is not perpendicular to the predetermined direction on the main surface 62 of the damper 60, the force that tilts the damper 60 when the damper 60 is driven in the predetermined direction together with the valve body 31 can be cancelled out by arranging the portions symmetrically in pairs.

The following structure may be adopted: when the valve body 31 is driven in a non-contact manner in a predetermined direction by the driving portion 70, the magnitude of the predetermined gap 61g decreases as the amount of movement of the valve body 31 from the neutral position increases. With this configuration, the damping force acting on the valve body 31 can be increased as the amount of movement of the valve body 31 from the neutral position is increased.

The damper 60 may be attached to only one end 36 of the two ends 36 of the valve body 31 in the predetermined direction. At this time, the damper 60 can be attached to the end portion 36 disposed on the lower side by the disposition of the flow rate ratio control valve 10. When the damper 60 is attached to the end portion 36 disposed on the upper side, there is a possibility that air is accumulated in a predetermined space defined by the damper 60, and the damping force generated by the damper 60 is reduced. In contrast, when the damper 60 is attached to the end portion 36 disposed on the lower side, air is less likely to be trapped in the predetermined space defined by the damper 60, and a reduction in the damping force generated by the damper 60 can be prevented.

The pair of leaf springs 51 may be configured to support portions (e.g., slightly central portions) other than the both end portions 36 of the valve body 31.

In the driving unit 70, the position of the valve body 31 (movable element 76) in a state where the plate spring 51 supports the valve body 31 in a natural state may be set to a position other than a neutral position at which an electromagnetic force for reciprocating the valve body 31 in the longitudinal direction does not act.

The plate springs 51 attached to the respective end portions 36 of the valve body 31 may have different spring forces.

It is also possible to supply liquid (fluid) to the a0 port (pressurized port), supply air to the C0 port (output port) and discharge air from the C0 port, and discharge liquid from the B0 port (discharge port), and as shown in fig. 13, the relationship of the interval L between the mutually separated side ends of the two open flow paths 32 and the interval L between the A1B port and the B1B port may be set as follows, (1) L6 ≧ L5) in a predetermined direction, at this time, as shown in fig. 14, it is possible to use as a flow path switching valve having a dead zone near the current 0mA, it is possible to stabilize the fluid at the start of flow, (2) L < L ] in this case, as shown in fig. 15, it is possible to use as a flow path switching valve having a constant discharge flow rate near the current 0mA, it is possible to improve responsiveness of changing the flow rate of the fluid (633) 636 ≧5, it is possible to form a flow valve body using three or more ports as a damper valves, it is possible to form a damper valve body, and to form a damper valve body, as a damper valve, and to form a damper valve, and to flow valve, and to form a damper, and to mix the three ports, as shown in the case of a damper, and B ports, and B, and C, and B.

The driving unit 70 may drive the valve body 31 (movable member) in a predetermined direction in a non-contact manner by an electromagnetic force acting between the pair of leaf springs 51 in the predetermined direction, and the configuration of the coil 72, the core 71, the magnets 74A to 75B, and the like may be arbitrarily changed.

The movable member 76 and the valve body 31 may be integrally formed using a paramagnetic material. In this case, the valve body 31 (movable member) is constituted by the movable element itself, and the open flow path 32 is formed in the movable element.

Although the present application has been described in terms of embodiments, the present application is not limited to the embodiments and structures. The present application also includes various modifications and variations within an equivalent range. In addition, various combinations and forms, and other combinations and forms in which more than one element is added or a smaller number of elements are included also fall within the scope and spirit of the present application.

Description of the symbols

10: a flow ratio control valve (electromagnetic actuator); 20: a valve mechanism; 31: a valve body (movable member); 31 a: a predetermined surface; 32: an open flow path; 36: an end portion; 41A: a first body; 41B: a second body; 41 a: an opposing surface; 41 b: a first surface; 42: a connecting flow path; 43: a connecting flow path; 44: a connecting flow path; 51: a plate spring; 60: a shock absorber; 61 g: a predetermined gap; 68: a predetermined space; 69: a predetermined space; 70: a drive section; 76: a movable member.