Valve unit for air-conditioner piping

Claim 1

A valve unit for the piping of an air-conditioner, comprising a valve housing (11) including a lower thick barrel portion (11a) and an upper thin head portion (11b), a straight-cylindrical longitudinal bore (12) extending therethrough, an adapter (14) for connection of a conduit, another adapter (15) serving as a charging inlet for a refrigerant and having valve core (19) therein, said adapters being located on opposite sides of said barrel portion; a short pipe (16) attached to the lower end of said barrel portion (11a); an inward-facing valve seat (11c) formed on the upper end of said head portion (11b); a rodlike valve element (17) having an annular recess (17a) around a middle portion thereof and screwed into said valve housing (11); and a cap (20a) detachably fitted to said head portion (11b) and having an inward annular protrusion (20c) around an inner bottom surface therein covering said head portion (11b) of said valve housing (11), said inward-facing valve seat being arranged to be (11c) nipped between said inward annular protrusion (20c) and said edge (17c) of said valve element (17); said rodlike valve element (17) having at its lower end an oblique surface (17b) capable of being brought into contact with a lower valve seat (12a) of said longitudinal bore (12) and at its upper end an upper edge (17c) adapted to be brought into engagement with said inward facing valve seat (11c) on the upper end of said head portion (11b) to define a refrigerant passage.