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A multi-way valve, particularly for a refrigerant circuit, includes a housing having a number of inlets and outlets and a chamber with a number of seats respectively associated with an inlet or outlet. The multi-way valve also includes a closing element that can move between the seats and at least

A multi-way valve, particularly for a refrigerant circuit, includes a housing having a number of inlets and outlets and a chamber with a number of seats respectively associated with an inlet or outlet. The multi-way valve also includes a closing element that can move between the seats and at least one actuator, which is provided in the form of an element made of a shape-memory alloy and capable of being displaced from one of the seats when the closing element is heated. The direction of displacement is transversal to the normal direction of the seat.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A multi-way valve, comprising: a housing having an inlet, a plurality of outlets and valve seats associated with a respective one of said outlets, said housing defining a chamber fluidically connected to said valve seats; a closing member movable between said valve seats, the valve dir

We claim: 1. A multi-way valve, comprising: a housing having an inlet, a plurality of outlets and valve seats associated with a respective one of said outlets, said housing defining a chamber fluidically connected to said valve seats; a closing member movable between said valve seats, the valve directing fluid flow from the inlet to one of the plurality of outlets when the closing member is in a first condition and from the inlet to another of the plurality of outlets when the closing member is in a second condition; and at least one actuator of a form memory alloy that, under heating, displaces said closing member from one of said valve seats to another of said valve seats in a displacement direction transverse to a normal direction of at least one of said valve seats. 2. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein said closing member is spherical. 3. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, further comprising a slide operatively connected to said at least one actuator, said closing member being held in said slide, said actuator displacing said slide to, thereby, displace said closing member. 4. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, further comprising a slide operatively connected to said at least one actuator, said closing member held by said slide, said actuator displacing said slide to, thereby, displace said closing member. 5. The multi-way valve according to claim 3, wherein: said slide defines a receptacle therewithin; and said closing member is held within said receptacle. 6. The multi-way valve according to claim 3, wherein: said valve seats are two valve seats; said closing member moves in said slide in said displacement direction; and a freedom of movement of said closing member in said slide is less than a distance between said two valve seats. 7. The multi-way valve according to claim 6, further comprising a spring-elastic element operatively connected to said closing member and exerting a force on said closing member counteracting displacement of said closing member from each of said valve seats. 8. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, further comprising a spring-elastic element operatively connected to said closing member and exerting a force on said closing member counteracting displacement of said closing member from each of said valve seats. 9. The multi-way valve according to claim 7, wherein: said chamber has a first side wall; said valve seats are disposed on said first side wall; and said spring-elastic element acts on said closing member in a direction of said first side wall. 10. The multi-way valve according to claim 8, wherein: said chamber has a first side wall; said valve seats are disposed on said first side wall; and said spring-elastic element acts on said closing member in a direction of said first side wail. 11. The multi-way valve according to claim 7, wherein said spring-elastic element is a leaf spring. 12. The multi-way valve according to claim 8, wherein said spring-elastic element is a leaf spring. 13. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein: said at least one actuator is a plurality of actuators; and an electric heating device is provided for each of said actuators and selectively heats a respective one of said actuators. 14. The multi-way valve according to claim 13, wherein said heating devices are heating resistors wound around each of said actuators. 15. The multi-way valve according to claim 14, wherein said heating devices are to be cooled in direct contact by fluid flowing through the valve. 16. The multi-way valve according to claim 14, wherein: fluid flows through said inlets to said chamber and out said outlets; said heating devices are disposed in said housing; and said heating device are to be cooled in direct contact by fluid flowing through said housing. 17. The multi-way valve according to claim 13, wherein at least part of said heating device is disposed outside said housing. 18. The multi-way valve according to claim 13, wherein said heating devices are disposed outside said housing. 19. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein said at least one actuator is of a one-piece form memory alloy. 20. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, wherein: said housing and said at least one actuator is connected; and said at least one actuator is of a one-piece form memory alloy. 21. In a refrigerating machine having a refrigerant circuit with a plurality of evaporators, a switching device comprising: a multi-way valve disposed in the refrigerant circuit and fluidically connected to at least one of said evaporators, said multi-way valve having: a housing having an inlet, a plurality of outlets and valve seats associated with a respective one of said outlets, said housing defining a chamber fluidically connected to said valve seats, said inlet and outlets fluidically connected to said refrigerant circuit; a closing member movable between said valve seats, the valve directing fluid flow from the inlet to one of the plurality of outlets when the closing member is in a first condition and from the inlet to another of the plurality of outlets when the closing member is in a second condition; and at least one actuator of a form memory alloy that, under heating, displaces said closing member from one of said valve seats to another of said valve seats in a displacement direction transverse to a normal direction of at least one of said valve seats. 22. The multi-way valve according to claim 1, including a slide operatively connected to said at least one actuator, said slide laterally moveable in said housing, said slide forming a central chamber and at least two lateral chambers in said housing, one lateral chamber on each side of said central chamber, said closing member being held in said slide in said central chamber, said actuator displacing said slide to thereby, displace said closing member. 23. The multi-way valve according to claim 22, wherein said closing member is a substantially spherical ball. 24. The multi-way valve according to claim 23, including said slide defining a receptacle therewithin and said closing member is held within said receptacle. 25. The multi-way valve according to claim 22, including said central chamber and said two lateral chambers in fluid communication with each other in said housing. 26. The multi-way valve according to claim 22, including said slide formed of an electrically nonconductive material. 27. The refrigerating machine according to claim 21, including a slide operatively connected to said at least one actuator, said slide laterally moveable in said housing, said slide forming a central chamber and at least two lateral chambers in said housing, one lateral chamber on each side of said central chamber, said closing member being held in said slide in said central chamber, said actuator displacing said slide to, thereby, displace said closing member. 28. The refrigerating machine according to claim 27, wherein said closing member is a substantially spherical ball. 29. The refrigerating machine according to claim 28, including said slide defining a receptacle therewithin and said closing member is held within said receptacle. 30. The refrigerating machine according to claim 27, including said central chamber and said two lateral chambers in fluid communication with each other in said housing. 31. The refrigerating machine according to claim 27, including said slide formed of an electrically nonconductive material. 32. A multi-way valve, comprising: a housing forming a chamber and including an inlet, a first outlet having a first valve seat, and a second outlet having a second valve seat; a slide being movably supported within the chamber and defining a receptacle; a spherical closing member retained within the receptacle and being movable in response to movement of the slide between a first condition, in which the closing member engages the first valve seat to restrict fluid flow to the first outlet, and a second condition, in which the closing member engages the second valve seat to restrict fluid flow to the second outlet, the valve directing fluid flow from the inlet to the second outlet when the closing member is in the first condition and from the inlet to the first outlet when the closing member is in the second condition; and at least one actuator including a form memory alloy coupled between the housing and the slide and moving the closing member between the first and second conditions in response to selective heating of the form memory alloy. 33. The multi-way valve according to claim 32, wherein: said at least one actuator includes a plurality of actuators; and an electric heating device including heating resistors would around each of said actuators, the heating device selectively heating a respective one of said actuators to move the closing member in a desired direction. 34. The multi-way valve according to claim 33, wherein the actuators and heating devices are exposed to fluid flowing through the valve to cool the actuators and heating devices by direct contact.