Valve device and temperature adjusting system for electronic device
View Patent ↗A valve device for adjusting the flow volumes of a cooling medium and a heating medium for adjusting the temperature of an electronic device includes: flow paths through which a cooling medium and heating medium are able to flow; and a merging section into which these flow path merge. The merging section has a valve shaft internally and a first channel is formed in the valve shaft. The valve shaft makes the first channel face at least two of the flow paths so as to make at least two flow paths communicate with each other.
1. A valve device configured to adjust flow volumes of a plurality of fluids for adjusting temperature of an electronic device under test,
the valve device comprising:
a plurality of flow paths through which the fluids are able to flow, the plurality of flow paths comprising:
a first flow path;
a second flow path adjacent to the first flow path;
a third flow path adjacent to the second flow path;
a fourth flow path;
a fifth flow path adjacent to the fourth flow path; and
a sixth flow path adjacent to the fifth flow path; and
a merging section into which the plurality of flow paths merge, wherein:
the merging section has a rotary body provided rotatably inside the merging section,
a first channel is formed in a circumferential surface of the rotary body,
a second channel is formed in the rotary body,
the rotary body makes the first channel face at least two flow paths among the plurality of flow paths so as to connect the at least two flow paths,
the first channel has a first opening width that is tapered at the ends of the first channel,
the first opening width is along a rotational axis of the rotary body, and
the rotary body can rotate among:
a first rotary position where the first channel faces the first flow path and the second flow path, and where the second channel faces the fourth flow path and the fifth flow path,
a second rotary position where the first channel faces the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path, and where the second channel faces the fourth flow path, the fifth flow path, and the sixth flow path, and
a third rotary position where the first channel faces the second flow path and the third flow path, and where the second channel faces the fifth flow path and the sixth flow path.
2. The valve device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the rotary body is a shaft provided rotatably inside the merging section, and
the first channel is formed in a circumferential surface of the shaft.
3. The valve device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second channel is formed in the rotary body at a position symmetric with respect to the first channel around the rotational axis.
4. The valve device as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the second channel has a second opening width that is tapered at the ends of the second channel, and
the second opening width is along the rotational axis.
5. The valve device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the rotary body has a bypass path running through the rotary body.
6. The valve device as set forth in claim 5 , wherein
the plurality of flow paths merge into the merging section radially, and
the first channel, the second channel, and the bypass path are arranged substantially in parallel.
7. The valve device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the first flow path is a first inflow path from which a cooling medium flows in,
the second flow path is an outflow path from which at least one of the cooling medium or a heating medium flows out, and
the third flow path is a second inflow path from which the heating medium flows in.
8. The valve device as set forth in claim 7 , wherein when the rotary body is at the second rotary position, the cooling medium flowing in from the first inflow path and the heating medium flowing in from the second inflow path are mixed at the outflow path.
9. The valve device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the fourth flow path is a first return path returning a cooling medium,
the fifth flow path is a third inflow path from which at least one of the cooling medium or a heating medium flows in, and
the sixth flow path is a second return path return path returning the heating medium.
10. The valve device as set forth in claim 9 , wherein when the rotary body is at the second rotary position, fluid flowing in from the third inflow path is divided between the first return path and the second return path.
11. The valve device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the rotary body has a bypass path running through the rotary body,
when the rotary body is at the first rotary position, the bypass path connects the third flow path and the sixth flow path, and
when the rotary body is at the third rotary position, the bypass path connects the first flow path and the fourth flow path.
12. The valve device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first to sixth flow paths are connected to the merging section at equal intervals.
13. The valve device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein further comprising a rotation driving device configured to turn the rotary body.
14. The valve device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the rotary body is a moving body provided slidably inside the merging section.
15. The valve device as set forth in claim 14 , wherein a second channel is formed in the moving body at a symmetric position with respect to the first channel.
16. The valve device as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the second channel has an opening width gradually reduced toward its end parts.
17. The valve device as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the moving body has a bypass path running through the moving body.
18. A valve device configured to adjust flow volumes of a plurality of fluids for adjusting temperature of an electronic device under test,
the valve device comprising:
a plurality of flow paths through which the fluids are able to flow; and
a merging section into which the plurality of flow paths merge, wherein
the merging section has a switching member internally and a first channel is formed in the switching member,
the switching member makes the first channel face at least two flow paths among the plurality of flow paths so as to connect the at least two flow paths,
the switching member is a rotary body provided rotatably inside the merging section,
the plurality of flow paths include:
a first flow path;
a second flow path which is adjacent to the first flow path; and
a third flow path which is adjacent to the second flow path,
the rotary body can rotate among
a first rotary position where the first channel faces the first flow path and the second flow path,
a second rotary position where the first channel faces the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path, and
a third rotary position where the first channel faces the second flow path and the third flow path,
the first flow path is a first inflow path from which a cooling medium flows in,
the second flow path is an outflow path from which at least one of the cooling medium or a heating medium flows out,
the third flow path is a second inflow path from which the heating medium flows in, and
the first channel has an opening width gradually reduced toward its end parts so that flow volume of fluid flowing from the first inflow path and the second inflow path to the outflow path is substantially constant.
19. A valve device configured to adjust flow volumes of a plurality of fluids for adjusting temperature of an electronic device under test,
the valve device comprising:
a plurality of flow paths through which the fluids are able to flow; and
a merging section into which the plurality of flow paths merge, wherein
the merging section has a switching member internally and a first channel is formed in the switching member,
the switching member makes the first channel face at least two flow paths among the plurality of flow paths so as to connect the at least two flow paths,
the switching member is a rotary body provided rotatably inside the merging section,
the plurality of flow paths include:
a first flow path;
a second flow path which is adjacent to the first flow path; and
a third flow path which is adjacent to the second flow path,
the rotary body can rotate among
a first rotary position where the first channel faces the first flow path and the second flow path,
a second rotary position where the first channel faces the first flow path, the second flow path, and the third flow path, and
a third rotary position where the first channel faces the second flow path and the third flow path,
the plurality of flow paths further include:
a fourth flow path;
a fifth flow path which is adjacent to the fourth flow path; and
a sixth flow path which is adjacent to the fifth flow path,
a second channel is formed in the rotary body,
when the rotary body is at the first rotary position, the second channel faces the fourth flow path and the fifth flow path,
when the rotary body is at the second rotary position, the second channel faces the fourth flow path, the fifth flow path, and the sixth flow path,
when the rotary body is at the third rotary position, the second channel faces the fifth flow path and the sixth flow path,
the fourth flow path is a first return path returning a cooling medium,
the fifth flow path is a third inflow path from which at least one of the cooling medium or a heating medium flows in,
the sixth flow path is a second return path returning the heating medium, and
the second channel has an opening width gradually reduced toward its end parts so that flow volume of fluid flowing from the third inflow path to the first return path and the second return path is substantially constant.