Fluid handling – Systems – With flow control means for branched passages
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-14
2002-05-07
Fox, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
With flow control means for branched passages
C251S129050
Reexamination Certificate
active
06382256
ABSTRACT:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from applications for 3-WAY TYPE REFRIGERANT CONTROL VALVE FOR REFRIGERATING CYCLE earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the May 29, 2000 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 2000-29050, and for 3-WAY TYPE REFRIGERANT CONTROL VALVE FOR REFRIGERATING CYCLE earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the Aug. 29, 2000 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 2000-50444.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to three-way flow control valves for refrigeration cycles having two parallel heat exchangers and, more particularly, to a three-way flow control valve designed to selectively feed refrigerant to both heat exchangers or one of the two heat exchangers as desired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, a refrigeration cycle typically performs its refrigerating operation through a compression process, a condensation process, an expansion process, and an evaporation process. In a brief description, the refrigerating operation of the conventional refrigeration cycle is accomplished through repeated heat exchanging processes. Such refrigeration cycles have been preferably used in, for example, refrigerators and air conditioners.
In such refrigeration cycles, the compression process is performed by a compressor, the condensation process is performed by a condenser, the expansion process is performed by a capillary tube or an expansion valve, and the evaporation process is performed by an evaporator.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional refrigeration cycle, in which first and second evaporators
1
A and
1
B are arranged in parallel to each other to respectively cool the partitioned first and second refrigeration compartments R
1
and R
2
to desired temperatures. First and second capillary tubes
5
a
and
5
B are mounted to the parallel refrigerant passage lines for the two evaporators
1
A and
1
B at positions before the two evaporators, respectively. First and second solenoid valves
4
A and
4
B are mounted to the parallel refrigerant passage lines at positions before the two capillary tubes
5
A and
5
B, respectively, so as to control the refrigerant flow for the two capillary tubes
5
A and
5
B. The above solenoid valves
4
A and
4
B are two-way flow control valves that are normally closed.
Provided on the main refrigerant passage line at positions before the two solenoid valves
4
A and
4
B are a compressor
2
and a condenser
3
.
When it is desired to cool the partitioned first and second refrigeration compartments R
1
and R
2
to desired temperatures at the same time using the conventional refrigeration cycle, both the two solenoid valves
4
A and
4
B are opened. Therefore, the condensed refrigerant from the condenser
3
partially passes through both the first solenoid valve
4
A and the first capillary tube
5
A to reach the first evaporator
1
A within the first refrigeration compartment R
1
. The refrigerant within the first evaporator
1
A absorbs heat from air within the first refrigeration compartment R
1
, thus cooling the air to a desired temperature. On the other hand, the remaining part of the condensed refrigerant from the condenser
3
passes through both the second solenoid valve
4
B and the second capillary tube
5
B to reach the second evaporator
1
B within the second refrigeration compartment R
2
. The refrigerant within the second evaporator
1
B absorbs heat from air within the second refrigeration compartment R
2
, thus cooling the air to a desired temperature.
On the other hand, when it is desired to cool only the second refrigeration compartment R
2
to a desired temperature, the second solenoid valve
4
B is opened, with the first solenoid valve
4
A kept at its closed position. In such an exclusive cooling mode for the second compartment R
2
, all the condensed refrigerant from the condenser
3
passes through both the second solenoid valve
4
B and the second capillary tube
5
B to reach the second evaporator
1
B, and cools air within the second compartment R
2
to the desired temperature. In the same manner, an exclusive cooling mode for the first refrigeration compartment R
1
is accomplished by opening the first solenoid valve
4
A and closing the second solenoid valve
4
B.
However, such a conventional refrigeration cycle is problematic in that it is necessary to provide the two flow control valves for separately controlling the refrigerant flow for the two parallel evaporators, thus increasing the production cost of the refrigeration cycle in addition to increasing operational noise created from the drive unit for the two flow control valves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a three-way flow control valve for refrigeration cycles having two parallel heat exchangers, which selectively feeds refrigerant to both heat exchangers or one of the two heat exchangers as desired.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a three-way flow control valve, comprising a hollow cylindrical casing opened at its first and second ends, a first valve housing held in the first end of the casing and provided with a first refrigerant outlet and a first orifice formed in the first refrigerant outlet, a second valve housing held in the second end of the casing and provided with a refrigerant inlet and a second refrigerant outlet and a second orifice formed between the refrigerant inlet and the second refrigerant outlet, a first valve means axially set within the first valve housing so as to be axially movable to control the opening ratio of the first orifice, a second valve means axially set within the second valve housing so as to be axially movable to control the opening ratio of the second orifice, and an actuation means used for actuating the first and second valve means and set between the first and second valve housings while allowing the two valve housings to communicate with each other.
In the primary embodiment of this invention, first and second guide bores are provided within the first and second valve housings at the inlet ends of the first and second orifices. The first and second guide bores are threaded on their internal surfaces to form internal threads, and guide an opposite directional axial movement of the first and second valve means. Each of the first and second valve means comprises a spring holder set within an associated refrigerant outlet, a needle valve body movably set within each valve housing while axially penetrating an associated orifice, and an elastic biasing member set between the spring holder and the needle valve body to normally and elastically bias the needle valve body in a direction toward the actuation means.
The actuation means comprises a stator externally set around the sidewall of the casing, a rotor rotatably set within the casing with a gap left between the external surface of the rotor and the internal surface of the casing, a rotating shaft axially penetrating the rotor, a first actuator assembled with the upper end of the rotating shaft and axially moving the needle valve body of the first valve means in opposite directions in cooperation with the elastic biasing member of the first valve means and threaded on its external surface to form external threads movably engaging with the internal threads of the first guide bore, and a second actuator assembled with the lower end of the rotating shaft and axially moving the needle valve body of the second valve means in opposite directions in cooperation with the elastic biasing member of the second valve means and threaded on its external surface to form external threads movably engaging with the internal threads of the second guide bore.
In the three-way flow control valve, at least one communication hole is axially formed in each of the first and se
Kim Gyeong-Don
Kim Wan-Yong
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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