VALVE BODY FOR AN EXPANSION VALVE

Abstract

A valve body of an expansion valve for an air-conditioning system, a battery cooler, and/or an oil cooler of a motor vehicle may comprise a valve needle and a spring. The valve needle and the spring may be integrally provided as a single component.

Claims

1. A valve body of an expansion valve for an air-conditioning system, a battery cooler, and/or an oil cooler of a motor vehicle, the valve body comprising a valve needle and a spring, wherein the valve needle and the spring are formed integrally provided as a single component.

2. The valve body according to claim 1, wherein the spring includes two arms integrally connected to the valve needle at one end and to a support ring at the other end.

3. The valve body according to claim 2 wherein the two arms extend, meandering, opposite to one another.

4. The valve body according to claim 1, wherein the valve needle includes a collar and a conical valve face.

5. The valve body according to claim 4, further comprising a longitudinal groove extending from the collar via the valve needle to the valve face.

6. The valve body according to claim 4, wherein the valve needle and the spring are composed of a plastic.

7. A rotor of an expansion valve comprising: a valve body including a valve needle and a spring, the valve needle and the spring integrally provided as a single component a valve body guide; and a permanent magnet body; wherein the permanent magnet body, together with the valve body and the valve body guide, define a pre-assembled assembly.

8. The rotor according to claim 7, wherein the valve body, with the valve needle, is guided free of play in the valve body guide.

9. An expansion valve for an air-conditioning system, a battery cooler, and/or an oil cooler of a motor vehicle, the expansion valve comprising: a housing; a valve seat; and a valve body interacting with the valve seat; wherein the valve body includes a valve needle and a spring, the valve needle and the spring integrally provided as a single component.

10. The expansion valve according to claim 9, further comprising a sensor structured and arranged to detect a position of the valve body.

11. An air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle comprising the expansion valve according to claim 9.

12. The expansion valve according to claim 9, wherein the valve needle includes a conical valve face abutting the valve seat.

13. The expansion valve according to claim 9, wherein the valve body includes a support ring integrally connected to the two arms opposite the valve needle.

14. The expansion valve according to claim 13, wherein the valve needle includes a collar integrally connected to the two arms opposite the support ring.

15. The expansion valve according to claim 14, wherein: the support ring includes an opening via which a fluid is conductible; the valve needle includes a conical valve face abutting the valve seat; and the valve needle further includes a longitudinal groove configured to conduct the fluid, the longitudinal groove extending from the collar to the valve face.

16. The valve body according to claim 1, further comprising a support ring including an opening via which fluid is conductible, wherein the spring includes two meander-shaped arms integrally connected to the valve needle at one end and integrally connected to the support ring at the other end.

17. The valve body according to claim 1, further comprising a support ring, wherein: the spring includes two arms integrally connected to the valve needle at one end and integrally connected to the support ring at the other end; and the two arms each include a plurality of arcs disposed one after another such that the two arms are each meander-shaped.

18. The valve body according to claim 1, wherein: the spring includes two arms integrally connected to the valve needle; the two arms each include (i) a plurality of first arcs that open in a first direction and (ii) a plurality of second arcs that open in a second direction opposite the first direction; the plurality of first arcs and the plurality of second arcs are disposed one after another in an alternating manner such that the two arms are each meander-shaped; and a first arm of the two arms and a second arm of the two arms meander opposite one another such that (i) the plurality of first arcs of the first arm and the plurality of second arcs of the second arm are aligned and (ii) the plurality of second arcs of the first arm and the plurality of first arcs of the second arm are aligned.

19. The valve body according to claim 1, further comprising: a collar configured to engage a valve guide body, the collar disposed axially between the valve needle and the spring, the collar projecting radially beyond the valve needle; and a support ring configured to engage a permanent magnet; wherein the two arms are integrally connected to the collar at a first end and are integrally connected to the support ring at a second end.

20. The valve body according to claim 4, wherein the valve needle and the spring are configured as an integral, plastic injection moulded part.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] It shows, in each case schematically,

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a valve body according to the invention in a view,

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a rotor according to the invention having a valve body according to the invention in a sectional representation,

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a sectional representation through an expansion valve according to the invention for example for an air-conditioning system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] According to FIG. 1, a valve body 1 of an expansion valve 2 (see FIG. 3) according to the invention, for an air-condition system 3, a battery cooler and/or an oil cooler of a motor vehicle 4, comprises a valve needle 10 and a spring 5, wherein the valve needle 10 and the spring 5 according to the invention are formed integrally. Through the integral design a number of parts in particular can be reduced as a result of which storage and logistical costs as well as assembly costs can be reduced.

[0025] By way of the integral design of the valve body 1, a tolerance chain can also be reduced since the spring 5 and the valve needle 10 need no longer be assembled together but are already produced in a firmly bonded state and because of this the operating or assembly clearance usually materialising when assembling the spring on the valve body is no longer required.

[0026] Here, the spring 5 according to FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises two meander-shaped arms 6, 6′, which at one end are integrally connected to the valve body 1 and at the other end to a support ring 7. The support ring 7 has an opening 8 via which fluid, for example refrigerant, can be conducted.

[0027] According to FIGS. 1 to 3, the two arms 6, 6′ are formed meandering opposite to one another (see in particular FIGS. 2 and 3), as a result of which a twisting of the valve body when the spring 5 is loaded can be avoided. According to FIGS. 1 to 3, the two arms 6, 6′ have altogether three meander-shaped arcs, wherein obviously more or fewer such arcs are also conceivable.

[0028] Viewing the valve needle 10 in more detail it is noticeable that the same comprises a collar 9 and a conical valve face 11. With closed expansion valve 2, the valve needle 10 or the valve body 1 tightly lies on an associated valve seat 12 (see FIG. 3) by way of the conical valve face 11.

[0029] Likewise, a longitudinal groove 13 is provided, which extends from the collar 9 via the valve needle 10 as far as to the valve face 11. By way of the longitudinal groove 13, a fluid conduction within a valve body guide 14 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) can take place. In the valve body guide 14, the valve body 1 is guided without tilt and preferentially without play. Through the opposing meandering course of the arms 6, 6′, a tilt-free adjusting can also be ensured. Here, the spring 5 and the arms 6, 6′ can be formed out of plastic, which offers the great advantage that the spring 5, upon a reduction of the temperature, is reduced, but at the same time also stiffens since the plastic becomes harder and more brittle and the spring 5, upon lower compression due to the length, presses with greater force. Conversely, the same also occurs upon a temperature increase, as a result of which the spring 5 is extended and because of this axially develops a greater pressure force but becomes softer at the same time and the pressure force is thereby reduced again. By way of this, the spring 5, in its axial pressure force, fluctuates to and fro about a defined operating point in a relatively stable manner.

[0030] In addition, the arms 6, 6′ of the spring 5 make possible a twisting of the spring 5 in the stop, since through the comparatively large support ring 7 within a permanent magnet 15 only a very low contact pressure develops during the closing operation. Because of the present medium or the fluid present within the expansion valve 2, for example refrigerant and gear oil, a lubricated state is additionally present at all times. Because of this, the support ring 7 is able to follow by slipping in the event that the spring 5 is tensioned excessively. By way of this, a torsion failure can be reliably excluded. Beyond this, the arms 6, 6′ are extremely flexible because of their arc design and adapt through a slightly inclined position to a torsion between valve body 1 and support ring 7.

[0031] Here, the collar 9 represents a stop with which the valve body 1 lies against the valve body guide 14, as is shown according to FIGS. 1 and 2. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the valve needle 10 including the spring 5 with the support ring 7 and the arms 6, 6′ is formed as an integral plastic injection moulded parts, as a result of which not only a high-quality but additionally also a cost-effective production becomes possible.

[0032] According to FIG. 2, a rotor 16 according to the invention is shown, which comprises a valve body 1 with spring 5, a permanent magnet body 15 and a valve body guide 14, which form a pre-assembled assembly with one another. An assembly of the rotor 1 can take place as follows: initially, the valve body 1 with its valve needle 10 is inserted into the valve guide 14 and following this the valve body guide 14 screwed into an internal thread of the permanent magnet body 15. Through the screwing-in, the support ring 7 of the spring 5 abuts the inner front face of the permanent magnet body 15, as a result of which the spring 5 is compressed. Following this, the rotor 16 prefabricated in this manner can be installed in the expansion valve 2 according to FIG. 3.

[0033] In addition, the expansion valve 2 has a housing 17 and a stepping motor 8, which is formed out of the rotor 16 and a stator 19 surrounding the rotor 16. In the housing 17, the previously described valve seat is arranged in addition, against which the valve needle 10 of the valve body 1 of the rotor 16 is preloaded with its valve face 11 via the spring 5. Here, the rotor 16 is situated in a wet region 20, which is separated from a dry region 22 by a separating can 21. In addition, a sensor 23, for example a 3D hall sensor sits in the dry region, via which a magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet body 15 is detected and from this the position of the valve body one or indirectly an opening or closing state of the expansion valve 2 can be deduced.

[0034] With the integral valve body 1 according to the invention, the pre-assembled rotor 16 and the expansion valve 2 comprising the said rotor 16 or the valve body 1 with integrated spring 5, such an expansion valve 2 can be more easily and more cost-effectively constructed and more easily assembled at the same time. By integrating the spring 5 on or in the valve body 1, the number of parts can be additionally reduced, as a result of which storage and logistical costs can be lowered.