Electronic Reversing Valve

Abstract

An electronic reversing valve for use in heat pump systems includes a housing having multiple ports and a slider positioned in a cavity of the housing, where the slider has multiple channels. The multiple ports and the multiple channels define refrigerant flow paths depending on a position of the slider in the cavity of the housing. The electronic reversing valve also includes a rotor positioned in the cavity of the housing and a stator positioned outside of the housing. The slider is moveable laterally within the cavity of the housing in response to a rotation of the rotor, where the rotor is designed to rotate in response to a magnetic force generated by the stator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic reversing valve for use in a heat pump system, the electronic reversing valve comprising:
 a housing having multiple ports;   a slider positioned in a cavity of the housing, the slider having multiple channels, wherein the multiple ports and the multiple channels define refrigerant flow paths depending on a position of the slider in the cavity of the housing;   a rotor positioned in the cavity of the housing; and   a stator positioned outside of the housing, wherein the slider is moveable laterally within the cavity of the housing in response to a rotation of the rotor and wherein the rotor is designed to rotate in response to a magnetic force generated by the stator.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 1 , wherein the slider is moveable laterally away from the rotor when the rotor rotates in a first direction and wherein the slider is moveable laterally toward the rotor when the rotor rotates in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 2 , further comprising a shaft attached to the rotor and to the slider, wherein the rotor is rotatable about a portion of the shaft, wherein the portion of the shaft is attached to the rotor, and wherein the slider is moveable laterally along with the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 3 , wherein the portion of the shaft is threaded and wherein the portion of the shaft is positioned in a threaded attachment hole of the rotor. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 4 , wherein an end portion of the shaft is attached to the slider and wherein the shaft is rotatable relative to the slider. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more retaining structures positioned in the cavity of the housing to prevent a lateral movement of the rotor. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more retaining structures include a first snap ring attached to an inner surface of the housing between the rotor and the slider. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stator is annularly positioned around a portion of the housing such that the stator is at least partially aligned with the rotor. 
     
     
         9 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more bleed channels fluidly connecting the cavity of the housing with one or more channels of the multiple channels. 
     
     
         10 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple ports include:
 an outdoor unit connection port;   an indoor unit connection port;   a discharge line input port designed to be fluidly coupled to a discharge port of a compressor of the heat pump system; and   a suction line output port designed to be fluidly coupled to a suction port of the compressor of the heat pump system.   
     
     
         11 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 10 , wherein the multiple channels comprise:
 a first channel formed through the slider;   a second channel formed through the slider; and   a third channel formed in the slider, wherein the discharge line input port, the first channel, and the indoor unit connection port define a first refrigerant flow path when the slider is in a first position and wherein the discharge line input port, the second channel, and the outdoor unit connection port define a second refrigerant flow path when the slider is in a second position.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic reversing valve of  claim 11 , wherein the outdoor unit connection port, the third channel, and the suction line output port define a third refrigerant flow path when the slider is in the first position and wherein the indoor unit connection port, the third channel, and the suction line output port define a fourth refrigerant flow path when the slider is in the second position. 
     
     
         13 . A rotor and slider assembly of an electronic reversing valve for use in a heat pump system, the rotor and slider assembly comprising:
 a slider having multiple channels;   a rotor; and   a shaft attached to the rotor and to the slider, wherein the rotor is rotatable about a portion of the shaft that is attached to the rotor, wherein the shaft is moveable laterally in response to a rotation of the rotor, and wherein the slider is moveable laterally along with the shaft.   
     
     
         14 . The rotor and slider assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the slider is moveable laterally away from the rotor when the rotor rotates in a first direction and wherein the slider is moveable laterally toward the rotor when the rotor rotates in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . The rotor and slider assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the portion of the shaft is threaded and wherein the portion of the shaft is positioned in a threaded attachment hole of the rotor. 
     
     
         16 . The rotor and slider assembly of  claim 13 , wherein an end portion of the shaft is attached to the slider and wherein the shaft is rotatable relative to the slider. 
     
     
         17 . The rotor and slider assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the multiple channels comprise:
 a first channel providing a first flow path through the slider;   a second channel providing a second flow path through the slider; and   a third channel formed in the slider.   
     
     
         18 . A heat pump system, comprising:
 an indoor coil;   an outdoor coil;   a compressor; and   an electronic reversing valve, wherein the electronic reversing valve comprises:
 a housing having multiple ports; 
 a slider positioned in the cavity of the housing, the slider having multiple channels, wherein the multiple ports and the multiple channels define refrigerant flow paths between the compressor, and the indoor coil and the outdoor coil based on a position of the slider in the cavity of the housing; 
 a rotor positioned in the cavity of the housing; and 
 a stator positioned outside of the housing, wherein the slider is moveable laterally within the cavity of the housing in response to a rotation of the rotor and wherein the rotor is designed to rotate in response to a magnetic force generated by the stator. 
   
     
     
         19 . The heat pump system of  claim 18 , wherein the slider is moveable laterally away from the rotor when the rotor rotates in a first direction and wherein the slider is moveable laterally toward the rotor when the rotor rotates in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         20 . The heat pump system of  claim 18 , further comprising a shaft attached to the rotor and to the slider, wherein the rotor is rotatable about a portion of the shaft that is attached to the rotor and wherein the slider is moveable laterally along with the shaft.