Control valve

Abstract

A control valve having first, second, and third outlet ports, which pass through a casing in a radial direction and formed axially at intervals in the casing, first, second and third communication ports, which respectively communicate between the flow path and the first outlet port, between the flow path and the second outlet port and between the flow path and the third outlet port according to a rotational position of the valve, are formed at intervals in the axial direction in the valve. The second outlet port is located between the first and third outlet ports in the axial direction and also located at a different position from the first and third outlet ports in a circumferential direction. An opening width of the second communication port in the axial direction is narrower than an axial interval between the first and third outlet ports.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control valve comprising:
 a cylindrical casing having an inlet port for a fluid, and   a valve accommodated in the casing to be rotatable around an axis extending in an axial direction of the casing and having a flow path communicating with the inlet port to allow the fluid to flow therethrough, wherein   a first outlet port, a second outlet port and a third outlet port passing through the casing in a radial direction are formed axially at intervals in the casing to bulge in the radial direction,   a connecting portion which connects the first outlet port and the third outlet port in the axial direction is formed at a portion of the casing between the first outlet port and the third outlet port in the axial direction to bulge in the radial direction,   a first communication port, a second communication port and a third communication port which respectively communicate between the flow path and the first outlet port, between the flow path and the second outlet port and between the flow path and the third outlet port according to a rotational position of the valve are formed at intervals in the axial direction in the valve,   the second outlet port is located between the first outlet port and the third outlet port in the axial direction and also located at a different position from the first outlet port and the third outlet port in a circumferential direction of the casing, a center of the second outlet port in the axial direction and a center of the connecting portion in the axial direction being disposed at a same position in the axial direction,   the second communication port is formed so that an opening width thereof in the axial direction is narrower than an axial interval between the first outlet port and the third outlet port, and   a maximum outer size in the axial direction of the casing forming the second outlet port is greater than a minimum size in the axial direction of the connecting portion.   
     
     
         2 . The control valve according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first outlet port and the third outlet port are formed at a same position in the circumferential direction.   
     
     
         3 . The control valve according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first outlet port, the second outlet port and the third outlet port are singularly formed in the circumferential direction of the casing.