VALVE DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a valve device for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing, a flow channel located in the housing, a flap arranged in the flow channel for closing the flow channel, the flap having regions in which a pin penetrating the flap is fastened and the pin being rotatably mounted in the housing, and a valve seat, which is arranged in the flow channel and which is in contact with the flap when the latter is in the closed position. The flow channel is provided with a plasma coating which renders it hydrophobic or hydrophilic.

Claims

1. A valve device for a motor vehicle, comprising: a housing; a shaft rotatably mounted to the housing; a flow channel located in the housing; a flap having an open position and a closed position, the flap arranged in the flow channel for selectively closing the flow channel, the shaft extending through the flap such that the flap is mounted to the shaft; a valve seat arranged in the flow channel; and a first plasma coating disposed on at least a portion of the flow channel; wherein the flap is in contact with the valve seat when the flap is in the closed position.

2. The valve device of claim 1, the first plasma coating providing a hydrophobic characteristic to the flow channel.

3. The valve device of claim 1, the first plasma coating providing a hydrophilic characteristic to the flow channel.

4. The valve device of claim 1, further comprising a second plasma coating disposed on the flap.

5. The valve device of claim 4, the second plasma coating providing a hydrophobic characteristic to the flap.

6. The valve device of claim 4, the second plasma coating providing a hydrophilic characteristic to the flap.

7. The valve device of claim 4, wherein the second plasma coating is disposed on one side of the flap.

8. The valve device of claim 1, wherein the first plasma coating is disposed on the valve seat.

9. The valve device of claim 1, the flow channel further comprising a nanostructured surface.

10. The valve device of claim 9, the nanostructured surface of the flow channel further comprising a hydrophobic nanostructured surface.

11. The valve device of claim 9, the nanostructured surface of the flow channel further comprising a hydrophilic nanostructured surface.

12. The valve device of claim 9, the nanostructured surface the flow channel being formed as part of the valve seat.

13. The valve device of claim 1, the flap further comprising a nanostructured surface.

14. The valve device of claim 13, the nanostructured surface of the flap further comprising a hydrophobic nanostructured surface.

15. The valve device of claim 13, the nanostructured surface of the flap further comprising a hydrophilic nanostructured surface.

16. The valve device of claim 13, the nanostructured surface of the flap is disposed on one side of the flap.

17. A valve device for a motor vehicle, comprising: a housing; a shaft rotatably mounted to the housing; a flow channel located in the housing; a flap having an open position and a closed position, the flap arranged in the flow channel for selectively closing the flow channel, the shaft extending through the flap such that the flap is mounted to the shaft; a valve seat arranged in the flow channel; and a first plasma coating disposed on at least a portion of the flow channel such that at least a portion of the first plasma coating is disposed on the valve seat; wherein the flap is in contact with the valve seat when the flap is in the closed position.

18. The valve device of claim 17, the first plasma coating providing a hydrophobic characteristic to the flow channel.

19. The valve device of claim 17, the first plasma coating providing a hydrophilic characteristic to the flow channel.

20. The valve device of claim 17, the flow channel further comprising a nanostructured surface, wherein the first plasma coating is applied to the nanostructured surface of the flow channel.

21. The valve device of claim 20, wherein the first plasma coating and the nanostructured surface of the flow channel provide a hydrophobic characteristic to the flow channel.

22. The valve device of claim 20, wherein the first plasma coating and the nanostructured surface of the flow channel provide a hydrophilic characteristic to the flow channel.

23. The valve device of claim 20, the nanostructured surface the flow channel being formed as part of the valve seat.

24. The valve device of claim 17, further comprising a second plasma coating disposed on the flap.

25. The valve device of claim 24, the second plasma coating providing a hydrophobic characteristic to the flap.

26. The valve device of claim 24, the second plasma coating providing a hydrophilic characteristic to the flap.

27. The valve device of claim 24, wherein the second plasma coating is disposed on one side of the flap.

28. The valve device of claim 24, the flap further comprising a nanostructured surface, wherein the second plasma coating is applied to the nanostructured surface of the flap.

29. The valve device of claim 28, wherein the second plasma coating and the nanostructured surface of the flap provide a hydrophobic characteristic to the flap.

30. The valve device of claim 28, the second plasma coating and the nanostructured surface of the flap provide a hydrophilic characteristic to the flap.

31. The valve device of claim 28, the nanostructured surface of the flap is disposed on one side of the flap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a valve device according to embodiments of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a flow channel which is part of a valve device, according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a throttle assembly comprising a housing 1 and a flow channel 2, which is located in the housing and in which a disk-shaped flap 3 is arranged. The flap 3 is connected fixedly to a shaft 4 and the shaft 4 is mounted rotatably in the housing 1. The shaft 4 is driven by an electric motor 5 arranged in the housing 1, a transmission 6 being arranged between the shaft 4 and the electric motor 5.

[0017] FIG. 2 shows part of the flow channel 2 as shown in FIG. 1 in section. The disk-shaped flap 3 is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the shaft 4 by means of a welded connection. In the illustration shown, the flap 3 is opened approximately half way. The seal is provided here by way of a sealing ring 7, which is arranged in a groove of the flap 3. In the closed position, the flap 3 seals off the flow channel 2. The cylindrical region, in which the flap 3 seals off the flow channel 2, is the valve seat 8. Both the cylindrical valve seat 8 and the flap 3 are provided with a hydrophobic or hydrophilic coating in that a plasma coating has been applied.

[0018] During the plasma coating, the material of the flap and/or of the valve seat is coated with thin layers which are formed by the action of a plasma on powders injected therein. For this purpose, the flap and/or the valve seat may consist of metal, for example aluminum or steel, or else of a plastic.

[0019] After very thorough cleaning, the flap and/or the valve seat may be introduced into a vacuum chamber and fixed therein, for example. Depending on the process, the chamber is evacuated until a residual gas pressure in the high-vacuum range or ultra-high-vacuum range is reached. Thereafter, a working gas (usually argon) is admitted via highly sensitive valves, and a low-pressure plasma is ignited by various energy input methods (for example microwaves, high-frequency, electrical discharge).

[0020] In addition to the working gas, it is possible for further gases (for example methane, ethyne, nitrogen) to be admitted. In the low-pressure plasma, the electrons have such high energies that chemical reactions are possible, these not being possible in thermal equilibrium. In this case, reference is made to a reactive plasma, since the reaction products are precipitated on the workpiece. Reactive plasmas may be combined with sputtering processes to form what is termed reactive sputtering.

[0021] Depending on the choice of the precursor, the injection of powders into a plasma may lead to the deposition of a hydrophobic or hydrophilic layer. In this respect, the chemical composition of the deposited layer may be influenced further by the deposition rate, the deposition angle and other parameters. It is possible to achieve layer thicknesses of 100 nm (nanometers), which may vary depending on the degree of deposition.

[0022] In the case of the plasma coating according to the invention, organosilicon compounds may be used as precursors.

[0023] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.