Four-way valve for switching refrigerant channel

A four-way valve for switching a refrigerant flow path, the valve comprising:

• a housing part that has a cylindrical shape and that includes a refrigerant filling chamber which is filled with a refrigerant;
• a valve plate disposed at one side of the housing part and having at least three valve holes formed therein;
• a valve pad part disposed in the refrigerant filling chamber, rotating to contact a surface of the valve plate, continuously occupying a first valve hole of the at least three valve holes, and selectively occupying a second valve hole of the at least three valve holes so as to make the occupied valve holes communicate with each other, thereby forming a changed flow path;
• a rotation drive part configured to transfer a driving force to rotate the valve pad part;
• and
• a deceleration part that is disposed between the rotation drive part and the valve pad part and that is configured to increase a driving torque transferred from the rotation drive part,
• wherein the housing part comprises at least three inflow/outflow holes formed therein,
• wherein the first valve hole and a first housing hole of the at least three inflow/outflow holes that is opposite to the first valve hole (i) communicate with each other by a first connection port and (ii) are shielded from the refrigerant filling chamber,
• wherein the second valve hole and a second housing hole of the at least three inflow/outflow holes that is opposite to the second valve hole (i) communicate with each other by a second connection port and (ii) are shielded from the refrigerant filling chamber,
• wherein a third valve hole of the at least three valve holes and a third housing hole of the at least three inflow/outflow holes that is opposite to the third valve hole (i) communicate with each other by a third connection port and (ii) are shielded from the refrigerant filling chamber,
• wherein the valve plate has a non-circular shape, and
• wherein a housing hole of the at least three inflow/outflow holes and a valve hole of the at least three valve holes that is not occupied by the valve pad part communicate with each other through the refrigerant filling chamber.