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EP-4737775-A1 - SWITCHING DEVICE AND VEHICLE

EP4737775A1EP 4737775 A1EP4737775 A1EP 4737775A1EP-4737775-A1

Abstract

A switching device includes a spool valve (30) extending in a Z direction, a case (20) that accommodates the spool valve (30), and an actuator (40) that drives the spool valve (30). A space (S11 to S13) and a flow path (21a) are formed inside the case (20), the spool valve (30) moving in the Z direction in the space (S11 to S13), the flow path (21a) being connected with the space (S11 to S13). The actuator (40) includes a rod (41) coupled to the spool valve (30), and a motor (45) that generates a driving force for moving the rod (41) in the Z direction. The rod (41) is inserted into the case (20) from a Z1 side.

Inventors

  • OHGATA, YUSUKE
  • MORIYAMA, SHUJI
  • TANIGUCHI, MOTOKI

Assignees

  • TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251010

Claims (12)

  1. A switching device (100) capable of switching flow channels of a heat medium, the switching device comprising: a spool valve (30) that extends in an axial direction; a case (20) that accommodates the spool valve (30); and an actuator (40) that is configured to drive the spool valve (30), wherein a moving space (S11, S12, S13) and an internal flow path (21a) are formed inside the case (20), the spool valve (30) being configured to move in the axial direction in the moving space (S11, S12, S13), the internal flow path (21a) being connected with the moving space, the heat medium being configured to flow through the internal flow path (21a), the actuator (40) includes a coupling portion (41) coupled to the spool valve (30), and a driving portion (45) configured to generate a driving force for moving the coupling portion (41) in the axial direction, and the coupling portion (41) is inserted into the case (20) from above.
  2. The switching device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (40) includes an actuator case (42) that accommodates the driving portion (45), the actuator case (42) has a surrounding portion (43) that surrounds the coupling portion (41) when viewed from a position spaced from the coupling portion in the axial direction, and the surrounding portion (43) is inserted into the case (20) from above.
  3. The switching device according to claim 2, wherein the actuator case (42) includes an accommodation chamber defining portion (48) that defines an accommodation chamber (S22) accommodating the driving portion (45), and the accommodation chamber defining portion (48) is disposed above the coupling portion (41).
  4. The switching device according to claim 3, wherein the accommodation chamber defining portion (48) is disposed above the case (20).
  5. The switching device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a sliding space (S21a) in which the coupling portion (41) is configured to slide in the axial direction is formed within the actuator case (42), the actuator (40) includes a seal member (47) provided between the sliding space (S21a) and the accommodation chamber (S22), and a shaft member (46) that is configured to transmit the driving force generated by the driving portion (45) to the coupling portion (41), and extends in the axial direction, and the shaft member (46) extends from the driving portion (45) to the coupling portion (41) by penetrating a through hole (47a) formed in the seal member (47).
  6. The switching device according to claim 5, wherein the seal member includes a lip seal (47).
  7. The switching device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the shaft member (46) is configured to be rotatable, a shaft member insertion hole (41b) into which the shaft member (46) is inserted is formed in the coupling portion (41), the shaft member (46) has an outer peripheral surface (46a) provided with a first feed screw (46b), the shaft member insertion hole (41b) has an inner peripheral surface (41e) provided with a second feed screw (41g) that meshes with the first feed screw (46b), and the shaft member (46) is inserted into the shaft member insertion hole (41b) from above.
  8. The switching device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the axial direction is an up-down direction (Z).
  9. A vehicle (1) comprising: the switching device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 8; and a vehicle main body (2) that accommodates the switching device (100).
  10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein an accommodation space (S1) that accommodates the switching device (100) is formed in the vehicle main body (2), the vehicle main body (2) includes an upper surface portion (2a) that is openable and closable and covers the accommodation space (S1) from above, and the switching device (100) faces the upper surface portion (2a) in an up-down direction (Z).
  11. The vehicle according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising a driving device (3) configured to generate a driving force of the vehicle main body (2), wherein the switching device (100) is disposed above the driving device (3).
  12. The vehicle according to any of claims 9 to 11, further comprising a wheel (4), wherein the switching device (100) is disposed above the wheel (4).

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This nonprovisional application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-189560 filed on October 29, 2024 with the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference and to which the person of the art can refer when considering the present disclosure. BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to a switching device and a vehicle. Description of the Background Art Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2021-156234 discloses a thermal circuit in which a heat medium circulates. The thermal circuit is provided with a switching valve that switches flow channels of the heat medium. SUMMARY Although not described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2021-156234, it is conceivable to use a spool valve that is moved in an axial direction by an actuator, as the switching valve. In this configuration, foreign matter in the heat medium may enter the actuator, and may be bitten in the actuator. As a result, an abnormality may occur in the driving of the actuator. The present disclosure has been made to solve the aforementioned problem, and an object thereof is to provide a switching device and a vehicle capable of suppressing foreign matter from entering an actuator that drives a spool valve. A switching device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is a switching device capable of switching flow channels of a heat medium, the switching device including: a spool valve that extends in an axial direction; a case that accommodates the spool valve; and an actuator that drives the spool valve. A moving space and an internal flow path are formed inside the case, the spool valve moving in the axial direction in the moving space, the internal flow path being connected with the moving space, the heat medium flowing through the internal flow path. The actuator includes a coupling portion coupled to the spool valve, and a driving portion that generates a driving force for moving the coupling portion in the axial direction. The coupling portion is inserted into the case from above. A vehicle according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes the switching device according to the first aspect, and a vehicle main body that accommodates the switching device. The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a first side view showing a vehicle equipped with a switching device according to one embodiment.Fig. 2 is a second side view showing the vehicle equipped with the switching device according to the embodiment.Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the switching device according to the embodiment.Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an actuator and spool valves of the switching device according to the embodiment.Fig. 5 is a front view showing a configuration of a body of a case of the switching device according to the embodiment.Fig. 6 is a front view showing a configuration of a cover of the case of the switching device according to the embodiment.Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view showing a configuration in the vicinity of a rod of the switching device according to the embodiment.Fig. 8 is a plan view of the rod and a cylinder of the switching device according to the embodiment as viewed from a Z2 side.Fig. 9 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of a lip seal in Fig. 7.Fig. 10 is a schematic side view showing a switching device according to a modification of the embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that, in the drawings referred to below, the same or corresponding members will be designated by the same reference numerals. Fig. 1 is a side view of a vehicle 1 including a switching device 100 according to the present embodiment. It should be noted that the application of switching device 100 may not be limited to that for a vehicle. Further, in the present specification, a Z direction is an up-down direction. Specifically, a Z1 direction is an up direction, and a Z2 direction is a down direction. Further, each of an X direction and a Y direction is a direction orthogonal to the Z direction. The X direction and the Y direction are orthogonal to each other in a plane orthogonal to the Z direction. An X1 direction and an X2 direction are a vehicle front direction and a vehicle rear direction, respectively. A Y1 direction and a Y2 direction are a vehicle left direction and a vehicle right direction, respectively. It should be noted that the Z direction is an example of the "up-down direction" and the "axial direction" in the present disclosure. In addition to switching device 100, vehicle 1 includes a vehicle main body 2, a driving device 3, and a plural