Variable-capacity compressor control valve

A variable-capacity compressor control valve, comprising:

• a valve body including a valve chamber with a valve orifice, a Ps inlet/outlet port communicating with a suction chamber of a compressor, a Pd introduction port arranged upstream of the valve orifice and communicating with a discharge chamber of the compressor, and a Pc inlet/outlet port arranged downstream of the valve orifice and communicating with a crank chamber of the compressor;
• a valve element for opening or closing the valve orifice;
• an electromagnetic actuator adapted to move the valve element in a direction to open or close the valve orifice;
• a pressure-sensitive chamber adapted to receive a suction pressure Ps from the compressor via the Ps inlet/outlet port;
• and
• a pressure-sensitive reaction member adapted to urge the valve element in the direction to open or close the valve orifice in accordance with a pressure in the pressure-sensitive chamber,
• wherein a sliding portion of the valve element is slidably fitted and inserted into a guide hole provided in the valve body, the sliding portion including small-clearance portions in opposite ends in an axial direction thereof and one or more large-clearance portions between the small-clearance portions in the opposite ends, the small-clearance portions each having a diameter Dx and an axial length that is equal to or larger than a predetermined length, the one or more large-clearance portions each having a diameter Dy that is smaller than the Dx and an axial length of 1 mm or larger, and
• a space formed between the guide hole of the valve body and the one or more large-clearance portions of the valve element communicates with all of the suction chamber, the discharge chamber, and the crank chamber of the compressor such that leakage of fluid occurs only through a gap formed between the guide hole of the valve body and the small-clearance portions in the opposite ends of the sliding portion of the valve element.