Four-way valve, valve unit, temperature control system

1. A four-way valve comprising:

a body comprising:

a valve chamber;

a first communication channel;

a second communication channel;

a third communication channel; and

a fourth communication channel, wherein

the first to fourth communication channels communicate with the valve chamber at positions arranged in sequence in a predefined rotational direction and cause the valve chamber to communicate with an outside; and

a valve component that divides the valve chamber into a first region, a second region, and a third region arranged in sequence in the predefined rotational direction, and is rotatable in the predefined rotational direction, wherein

the valve component switches the four-way valve to be in at least one of:

a first state in which the first communication channel and the second communication channel communicate with the first region and the third communication channel and the fourth communication channel communicate with the third region; and

a second state in which the second communication channel communicates with the first region, the third communication channel communicates with the second region, and the fourth communication channel and the first communication channel communicate with the third region,

the valve chamber has a columnar shape and has:

a first position at which the first communication channel communicates with an outer periphery of the valve chamber;

a second position at which the second communication channel communicates with the outer periphery of the valve chamber;

a third position at which the third communication channel communicates with the outer periphery of the valve chamber; and

a fourth position at which the fourth communication channel communicates with the outer periphery of the valve chamber, wherein

the first to fourth positions are arranged in sequence in the predefined rotational direction along one of circumferential directions of the valve chamber,

the valve component includes:

a center portion that extends in an axial direction of the valve chamber;

a first divider;

a second divider: and

a third divider, wherein

the first to third dividers are arranged in sequence in the predefined rotational direction, and divide the valve chamber into the first region, the second region, and third region in the predefined rotational direction,

the center portion is rotatable about a central axis of the valve chamber,

the first divider, the second divider, and the third divider have plate shapes and extend from the center portion in a radial direction of the valve chamber, and

in the predefined rotational direction:

a distance between the first divider and the second divider is greater than a distance between the first position and the second position and less than a distance between the first position and the third position and a distance between the fourth position and the second position;

a distance between the second divider and the third divider is less than a distance between the second position and the third position; and

a distance between the third divider and the first divider is greater than a distance between the third position and the fourth position and a distance between the fourth position and the first position and less than a distance between the third position and the first position and a distance between the second position and the fourth position.

2. A valve unit comprising:

a first four-way valve and a second four-way valve, each of which is the four-way valve according to claim 1 ;

a driver that comprises a rotary shaft coupled to the valve component of the first four-way valve and the valve component of the second four-way valve, and rotates the valve component of the first four-way valve and the valve component of the second four-way valve such that phases of the valve components are shifted from each other by 90° in the predefined rotational direction;

a first magnet coupling that enables non-contact torque transmission between the valve component of the first four-way valve and a first end of the rotary shaft; and

a second magnet coupling that enables non-contact torque transmission between the valve component of the second four-way valve and a second end of the rotary shaft, the second end being opposite to the first four-way valve.

3. A temperature control system comprising:

the valve unit according to claim 2 ;

a first adjustment device that comprises a first intake port and a first discharge port, takes a fluid in the first adjustment device through the first intake port, adjusts a temperature of the fluid to be a first temperature, and discharges the fluid through the first discharge port;

a second adjustment device that comprises a second intake port and a second discharge port, takes a fluid in the second adjustment device through the second intake port, adjusts a temperature of the fluid to be a second temperature less than the first temperature, and discharges the fluid through the second discharge port; and

an object to be controlled that includes an inlet, a channel, and an outlet, wherein the fluid enters through the inlet, flows through the channel, and flows out through the outlet, wherein

in the first four-way valve, the first communication channel is coupled to the first discharge port via the channel, the second communication channel is coupled to the inlet via the channel, the third communication channel is coupled to the outlet via the channel, and the fourth communication channel is coupled to the first intake port via the channel, and

in the second four-way valve, the first communication channel is coupled to the second discharge port via the channel, the second communication channel is coupled to the inlet via the channel, the third communication channel is coupled to the outlet via the channel, and the fourth communication channel is coupled to the second intake port via the channel.

4. The temperature control system according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a first flow channel block that defines at least a part of a channel between the first discharge port and the first communication channel of the first four-way valve and at least a part of a channel between the first intake port and the fourth communication channel of the first four-way valve; and

a second flow channel block that is spaced apart from the first flow channel block and defines at least a part of a channel between the second discharge port and the first communication channel of the second four-way valve and at least a part of a channel between the second intake port and the fourth communication channel of the second four-way valve, wherein

a channel between the second communication channel of the first four-way valve and the inlet and a channel between the second communication channel of the second four-way valve and the inlet are coupled to each other at a join located upstream of the inlet,

the temperature control system further comprises:

a first duct that defines a channel between the second communication channel of the first four-way valve and the join, wherein in the first duct, a first check valve is disposed to allow a flow of the fluid from the second communication channel of the first four-way valve to the join and to prohibit a flow of the fluid from the join to the second communication channel of the first four-way valve, and

a second duct that defines a channel between the second communication channel of the second four-way valve and the join, wherein in the second duct, a second check valve is disposed to allow a flow of the fluid from the second communication channel of the second four-way valve to the join and to prohibit a flow of the fluid from the join to the second communication channel of the second four-way valve.

5. The temperature control system according to claim 4 , further comprising

a support that supports both the first flow channel block and the second flow channel block, and

a heat insulator that is disposed between the first flow channel block and the second flow channel block.

6. The temperature control system according to claim 3 , wherein

the driver switches the first and second four-way valves, by rotating the valve component of the first four-way valve and the valve component of the second four-way valve such that phases of the valve components are shifted from each other by 90° in the predefined rotational direction, to be in at least one of:

a first distributing state in which the first four-way valve is in the first state and the second four-way valve is in the second state;

a non-distributing state in which the first four-way valve is in the second state and the second four-way valve is in the second state; and

a second distributing state in which the first four-way valve is in the second state and the second four-way valve is in the first state.

7. The temperature control system according to claim 6 , further comprising:

a controller that sets a target temperature of the object to be greater than the second temperature and less than the first temperature, and causes the driver to control the target temperature by:

in a case that a temperature of the object is greater than the second temperature and less than the target temperature and the first temperature, switching the first and second four-way valves to be in the first distributing state;

in a case that the temperature of the object is greater than the second temperature and the target temperature and less than the first temperature, switching the first and second four-way valves to be in the second distributing state;

in a case that the temperature of the object is greater than the second temperature, less than the first temperature, and within a predefined temperature range including the target temperature, switching the first and second four-way valves to be in the non-distributing state in priority to the first distributing state and the second distributing state.

8. The temperature control system according to claim 7 , wherein

each of the valve components further switches each of the first and second four-way valves to be in at least one of:

a third state in which the first communication channel and the second communication channel communicate with the third region, the third communication channel communicates with the first region, and the fourth communication channel communicates with the second region; and

a fourth state in which the first communication channel communicates with the second region, the second communication channel communicates with the third region, and the third communication channel and the fourth communication channel communicate with the first region, and

the driver further executes adjustment driving by rotating the valve component of the first four-way valve and the valve component of the second four-way valve such that the phases of the valve components are shifted from each other by 90° in the predefined rotational direction, and switches the first and second four-way valves to be in a third distributing state in which the first four-way valve is in the third state and the second four-way valve is in the fourth state.

9. The temperature control system according to claim 7 , wherein

each of the valve components further switches each of the first and second four-way valves to be in at least one of:

a third state in which the first communication channel and the second communication channel communicate with the third region, the third communication channel communicates with the first region, and the fourth communication channel communicates with the second region; and

a fourth state in which the first communication channel communicates with the second region, the second communication channel communicates with the third region, and the third communication channel and the fourth communication channel communicate with the first region, and

the driver further executes adjustment driving by rotating the valve component of the first four-way valve and the valve component of the second four-way valve such that the phases of the valve components are shifted from each other by 90° in the predefined rotational direction, and switches the first and second four-way valves to be in a fourth distributing state in which the first four-way valve is in the fourth state and the second four-way valve is in the third state.

10. The temperature control system according to claim 8 , wherein

the controller causes the driver to execute the adjustment driving in a case that the target temperature control is not performed.

11. The temperature control system according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a first valve unit and a second valve unit, each of which is the valve unit, wherein

the driver of the first valve unit executes first adjustment driving by rotating the valve component of the first four-way valve and the valve component of the second four-way valve such that the phases of the valve components are shifted from each other by 90° in the predefined rotational direction, and switches the first and second four-way valves to be in the third distributing state in which the first four-way valve is in the third state and the second four-way valve is in the fourth state; and

the driver of the second valve unit executes second adjustment driving by rotating the valve component of the first four-way valve and the valve component of the second four-way valve such that the phases of the valve components are shifted from each other by 90° in the predefined rotational direction, and switches the first and second four-way valves to be in the fourth distributing state in which the first four-way valve is in the fourth state and the second four-way valve is in the third state.