Four-Way Electrovalve Governed by a Thermoactuator Associated With a Thermistor (PTC)

Refrigeration devices, both industrial and domestic, use solenoid valves whose electromagnet controls the flow of the refrigerant. Said valves are also widely used in heat pumps, and all other applications where it is necessary to periodically reverse the direction of flow of a pressurized liquid.

With regard to the present invention, the use of said valves in refrigeration systems has the purpose of reversing the cycle of pressurized liquids which generally flow from the compressor to the condenser, and then to an evaporator. The electromagnets currently used for this purpose are complex, costly, and have a number of functional drawbacks.

The present invention is a four-way electrovalve with a simple mechanical structure that is reliable, economically advantageous to manufacture, and able to perform all the functions of the previously mentioned solenoid valves in refrigeration and other systems.

The applicant also holds other Italian patents, application No. 53024 B/85 filed Feb. 22, 1986 and application No. 52873 B/85 filed on Jan. 21, 1985, that include thermoactuating devices comprising a casing enclosing a waxy, highly thermally expandable mass associated with a mobile plunger partially immersed in said casing and one or more thermistors (PTC) acting as controlled heat sources.

The present invention is a valve comprising a housing with four inflow and outflow ports controlled by a deflector that can move in an angular fashion against the reaction of elastic devices; it is actuated by a mobile plunger part of a thermoactuator described in the previously mentioned patents.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the valve illustrating the preferred type of actuation;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section of the same valve shown in FIG. 1 turned 180.degree. on a vertical axis;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section along line X--X in FIG. 2 and turned 90.degree. on a vertical axis with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section showing a variation in the structure of the deflector;

FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically illustrate the two opposite flow cycles of the refrigerant controlled by the valve.

With reference to the figures, housing 1 encloses deflector 4 and integral projection 4a, which are hinged at the inner tip 7a of port 7; said deflector is held in the angular position shown by the solid line in FIG. 2 against the inner surface 1b of housing 1 by the reaction of coil spring 19 and by leaf spring 18. In addition to port 7, the front of housing 1 also has ports 5 and 6 and is closed at the back by welded cover 2, which includes port 8. One end of metal bellows 11 is welded at the neck of housing 1; the other end of said bellows is welded or hermetically crimped to the base 9a of rod 9, which is mounted vertically inside said bellows 11. A spring 10 exerts pressure between said base 9a of rod 9 and neck 1a. A bushing 12, made of electrically insulating material such as ceramic, is mounted coaxially with rod 9 outside the bellows. The free end of a plunger 13 whose opposite end is hermetically sealed in a casing 14 enclosing a wax having high thermal dilative properties rests on the closed bottom of said bushing. A thermistor (PTC) 15 is associated with casing 14; 16 indicates electrical terminals for supplying power to the thermistor(s) 15. 17 indicates the valve mechanism housing, which is preferably made of thermoplastic material, and contains the valve's thermoelectric actuator. Valve housing part (1) may be made, for example of metal.

The valve operates as follows:

Given that port 8 is connected to a refrigerant liquid supply line, when the valve is in the resting position, meaning deflector 4 is positioned as shown in FIG. 2 by the solid lines, the liquid flowing into port 8 enters housing 1 and exits through port 6; during the return stage, said liquid enters port 7, passes through deflector 4, and exits at port 5.

When terminals 16 are supplied with electric power thermistor 15 increases in temperature, which by conduction heats casing 14 and the wax contained in it; said wax expands forcing plunger 13 to move outwards; said movement is transmitted to rod 9, which overcomes the pressure exerted by spring 10. The end of rod 9 rests against the angled tip of deflector 4 causing said deflector to move in an angular fashion at hinge 7a of port 7. Spring 19 is compressed and deflector 4 moves into the position shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 2. Under these latter conditions, the cycle is reversed for the fluid that had entered at port 8. The fluid can only flow out through port 5, and then re-enter at port 7 exiting at port 6.

When power is no longer supplied to thermistor 15 the reaction of springs 10 and 19 force the mobile valve elements back to their initial position. Metal bellows 11 is hermetically sealed at neck 1a and base 9a; therefore, no matter which refrigerant cycle (lines connected to ports 5, 6, 7, 8, and valve housing 1) is operative there is no leakage of fluid.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 where the essential components of a fluid refrigerant cycle are schematically illustrated, (FIG. 5) compressor --C.sub.m -- sends the fluid to housing 1 of the present valve V4; the fluid enters at port 8 and passes through deflector 4, which is in the position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 1, and then arrives at condenser --C.sub.o --: said fluid passes through the capillary tubing --C.sub.p -- reaching evaporator --E.sub.v --; the liquid is then sent to port 6 from the evaporator thus re-entering the closed cycle.

When the internal temperature of the refrigeration system reaches a preset level, a sensor such as a thermostat closes the circuit that electrically powers terminals 16 (FIG. 1) of the valve causing deflector 4 to move into the position indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 1 and shown schematically in FIG. 6. Under these conditions the fluid cycle is reversed as previously described and indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6 with respect to FIG. 5.

FIG. 4 illustrates a variant of the present valve where 20 is a deflector similar to that indicated by 4 in FIGS. 1-3, but different from the latter which is made of plastic; deflector 20 is made of metal. In this case said deflector 20 has seals 21 at its edges to provide a hermetic seal with respect to surfaces 1b of housing 1.

The present valve has a simple design, is functionally reliable, and lowers operative costs. The valve can be used for numerous applications in addition to those described for refrigeration systems.