Flow rate control valve

A flow rate control valve comprising:

• an elongated body having a port at each end of the body, and a fluid flow passage extending through the body and between the ports;
• a valve member provided in the body and mounted to a rod provided to the body so as to be displaceable in a direction of the rod axis, whereby the valve member is thereby displaced in the body by displacement of the rod in the direction of the rod axis, wherein the valve member is positioned in the body with respect to the flow passage such that the displacement of the valve member controls the flow rate of a fluid flowing in the flow passage from one of the ports to the other of the ports;
• a flat plate shaped member disposed at the circumference of the body such that the flat plate shaped member has a first flat plate surface facing toward the circumference of the body and a second flat plate surface facing away from the circumference of the body, wherein the first and second flat plate surfaces are separated by the thickness of the flat plate shaped member, and wherein the flat plate shaped member is cantilever mounted to the body at one end of the flat plate shaped member;
• a cutout portion which is cut in the first flat plate surface of the flat plate shaped member to extend from the first flat plate surface in the thickness direction of the flat plate shaped member, wherein the thickness direction is a direction from the first flat plate surface perpendicularly toward the second flat plate surface, and wherein the cutout portion is disposed in the vicinity of the one end so as to reduce the thickness of the flat plate shaped member at said one end.