Directional valve and heat pump

Abstract

A directional valve ( 1 ) for installation into a line and a heat pump ( 100 ) with a directional valve of this kind ( 1.1 ) includes a base body ( 2 ) having at least two fluid connections ( 3, 4 ). The directional valve ( 1 ) further includes a control element ( 6 ) that is designed to be switched between at least two switching positions (A, B), of which a passage of flow between the fluid connections ( 3, 4 ) is enabled in one switching position (A) and the passage of flow between the fluid connections ( 3, 4 ) is blocked in another switching position (B). The directional valve ( 1 ) also includes an actuator structure ( 12 ) with a jolt property. The actuator structure ( 12 ) is designed to switch the control element ( 6 ) by way of utilizing its jolt property. Furthermore, the directional valve ( 1 ) includes an actuating device ( 15 ) for actuating the actuator structure ( 12 ).

1 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A directional valve ( 1 ), comprising:
 a base body ( 2 ) having at least two fluid connections ( 3 ,  4 );   a control element ( 6 ) that is designed to be switched between at least two switching positions (A, B),
 wherein a passage of flow between the fluid connections ( 3 ,  4 ) is enabled in one switching position (A) of the at least two switching positions (A, B) and 
 wherein the passage of flow between the fluid connections ( 3 ,  4 ) is blocked in another switching position (B) of the at least two switching positions (A, B); 
   an actuator structure ( 12 ) with a jolt property, wherein the actuator structure ( 12 ) is designed to switch the control element ( 6 ) using the jolt property; and   an actuating device ( 15 ) for actuating the actuator structure ( 12 ).   
     
     
         23 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the actuator structure ( 12 ) is arranged to a side of the control element ( 6 ) and has a movement section ( 14 ) that can be moved in a direction of movement of the control element ( 6 ) and that executes a movement that switches the control element ( 6 ) upon a jolt of the actuator structure ( 12 ).   
     
     
         24 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the actuator structure ( 12 ) comprises or consists of a flexible material and has an unstable movement behavior.   
     
     
         25 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the actuator structure ( 12 ) comprises or is formed from a rubber-elastic material.   
     
     
         26 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the actuator structure ( 12 ) has a curvature that changes from a convex shape to a concave shape or vice versa during a jolt.   
     
     
         27 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the actuator structure has a monostable movement behavior and   wherein the actuating device is arranged to exert an actuating force on the actuator structure that triggers a jolt,   wherein the actuating device is further designed to exert a holding force on the actuator structure, in order to hold the actuator structure in an extended position and/or shape after the jolt.   
     
     
         28 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the actuator structure ( 12 ) has a bistable movement behavior and   wherein the actuating device ( 15 ) is designed to exert an actuating force on the actuator structure ( 12 ), in order to trigger a jolt from a first mechanically stable position and/or shape into a second mechanically stable position and/or shape,   wherein the actuating device ( 15 ) is furthermore designed to generate a further actuating force directed in an opposite direction to the actuating force, in order to trigger a further jolt of the actuator structure ( 12 ) from the second mechanically stable position and/or shape back into the first mechanically stable position and/or shape by the further actuating force.   
     
     
         29 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 , further comprising
 a spring element ( 18 ), against a force of which the control element ( 6 ) is moved by the actuator structure ( 12 ) upon switching.   
     
     
         30 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 , further comprising
 another actuator structure ( 12 ′) and another actuating device ( 15 ′),   wherein the actuator structure ( 12 ) and the actuating device ( 15 ) are used to displace the control element ( 6 ) in one direction, and   wherein the other actuator structure ( 12 ′) with the other actuating device ( 15 ′) are used to displace the control element ( 6 ) in an opposite direction.   
     
     
         31 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the actuating device ( 15 ) has an electromagnetic drive ( 16 ), configured to exert an actuating force on the actuator structure ( 12 ) that triggers a jolt.   
     
     
         32 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the actuating device ( 15 ) has a fluidic drive ( 19 ), configured to exert an actuating force on the actuator structure ( 12 ) that triggers a jolt.   
     
     
         33 . The directional valve according to  claim 32 ,
 wherein the fluidic drive ( 19 ) has a fluid chamber ( 19 . 1 ) provided in the base body ( 2 ), which is flow-connected to at least one control connection ( 19 . 2 ) and is bounded in one direction by the actuator structure ( 12 ).   
     
     
         34 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the directional valve ( 1 . 1 ) is a 4/2-way valve with four fluid connections ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ) and the control element ( 6 ) is arranged to be switched between two switching positions (A′, B′), of which in one switching position (A′) the fluid connections ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ) are flow-connected to one another in pairs and in the other switching position (B′) a fluid connection ( 21 ) of one pair is interchanged with a fluid connection ( 24 ) of another pair.   
     
     
         35 . The directional valve according to  claim 34 ,
 wherein the base body ( 2 ) has a fluid chamber ( 26 ) and the fluid connections ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ) are flow-connected to the fluid chamber ( 26 ),   wherein one of the fluid connections ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ) is arranged on one side of the base body ( 20 ) extending in a direction of displacement of the control element ( 6 ) and the other fluid connections are arranged on an opposite side of the base body ( 20 ), and   wherein the fluid chamber ( 26 ) is divided by the control element ( 6 ) into two sub-chambers ( 26 . 1 ,  26 . 2 ), via which, depending on the switching position of the control element ( 6 ), the fluid connections ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ) are flow-connected to one another in pairs.   
     
     
         36 . The directional valve according to  claim 35 ,
 wherein the fluid chamber ( 26 ) is formed in an interior chamber ( 5 ) of the base body ( 20 ), and   wherein the actuator structure ( 12 ) is arranged in a receiving region ( 5 . 1 ) of the interior chamber ( 5 ), which is delimited from the fluid chamber ( 26 ) in a fluid-tight manner by the control element ( 6 ).   
     
     
         37 . The directional valve according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the control element ( 6 ) is a piston slide.   
     
     
         38 . A heat pump ( 100 ) for heating or cooling spaces, comprising:
 a compressor ( 110 ), a throttling device ( 120 ), a first heat exchanger ( 130 ), and a second heat exchanger ( 140 ) arranged in a circuit ( 150 ); and   the directional valve ( 1 . 1 ;  1 . 1 ′;  1 . 1 ″) according to  claim 34 .   
     
     
         39 . The heat pump according to  claim 38 ,
 wherein the compressor ( 110 ), the throttling device ( 120 ), the first heat exchanger ( 130 ) and the second heat exchanger ( 140 ) are arranged in the circuit ( 150 ) in the following order:
 first heat exchanger ( 130 ), 
 compressor ( 110 ), 
 second heat exchanger ( 140 ), 
 throttling device ( 120 ), 
   wherein, further, the directional valve ( 1 . 1 ;  1 . 1 ′;  1 . 1 ″) is integrated
 into the circuit ( 150 ) between the compressor ( 110 ) and the first heat exchanger ( 130 ) via one pair of its fluid connections ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ) and 
 into the circuit ( 150 ) between the compressor ( 110 ) and the second heat exchanger ( 140 ) via the other pair of its fluid connections ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ). 
   
     
     
         40 . A heat pump, comprising:
 a compressor ( 110 ), a throttling device ( 120 ), a first heat exchanger ( 130 ), and a second heat exchanger ( 140 ) arranged in a circuit ( 150 ); and   the directional valve ( 1 . 1 ;  1 . 1 ′;  1 . 1 ″) according to  claim 33 ,   wherein the control connection ( 19 . 2 ) is fluidically connected to the circuit ( 150 ).   
     
     
         41 . The heat pump according to  claim 40 ,
 wherein the control connection ( 19 . 2 ) is fluidically connected with the circuit ( 150 ) between the compressor ( 110 ) and the fluid connections of the directional valve ( 21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ) and/or,   wherein the control connection ( 19 . 2 ) is fluidically connected with the circuit ( 150 ), viewed in the direction of flow of a working fluid, upstream of the compressor ( 110 ) and/or   wherein the control connection ( 19 . 2 ) is fluidically connected in a region of an inlet into the compressor ( 110 ).