US Patent 11248712 Rotary control valve

A rotary control valve includes: a rotor including a tubular part and an opening in the tubular part; a seal member including a contact face, an internal passage, a noncontact part, and a ridge; a biasing member structured to cause the contact face of the seal member to be pressed on the tubular part; and a drive mechanism structured to rotate the rotor. The contact face is structured to be in sliding contact with the tubular part, and has an arc-curved surface shaped to fit with an outer periphery of the tubular part. The internal passage is structured to communicate with the opening of the tubular part. The noncontact part is formed at least one of ends of the arc-curved surface in a rotational direction of the tubular part, and is structured to be out of contact with the tubular part so as to define the ridge.