US 2003/0155020 A1Published application

Four-way switching valve

AssigneeTgk Co., Ltd.

InventorsHisatoshi Hirota, Tokumi Tsugawa, Katsumi Koyama

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Abstract

To provide a four-way solenoid valve having a three-way solenoid valve of which non-concentricity between a valve element and a valve hole is small, if any. A core of a three-way solenoid is integrally formed with a refrigerant passage extending axially therethrough, an annular projection forming a valve seat, and a guide for guiding reciprocating motion of a needle forming a valve element. A plug closing a cylinder of a body to define the pressure control chamber is also integrally formed with a valve seat and a guide for guiding reciprocating motion of a needle forming a valve element associated with the valve seat. This causes the needles to be seated on the valve seats associated therewith in respective states guided by the guides substantially concentric with the valve holes, which makes it possible to impart sufficient sealing properties to the valve portions when each valve is closed.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A four-way switching valve including a first plug and a second plug arranged in a first cylinder and a second cylinder formed in a body in parallel with each other, respectively, such that the first plug and the second plug are capable of axial reciprocating motion, the first plug and the second plug each having axially both ends forming valve elements and performing switching of fluid passages, a first piston and a second piston for actuating the first plug and the second plug, respectively, and a three-way solenoid valve causing a pressure control chamber for the first piston to be selectively communicated with a space into which high-pressure fluid is introduced or a space into which low-pressure fluid is introduced,

characterized in that:
the three-way solenoid valve comprises:
a first valve element and a second valve element arranged in an axial direction of a plunger as respective two separate parts, for reciprocating motion;
a first valve seat having a guide for guiding said first valve element and a valve hole concentric with said guide both arranged at respective axial positions of the plunger;
and
a second valve seat having a guide for guiding said second valve element and a valve hole concentric with said guide both arranged at respective axial positions of the plunger.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.