Abstract
A directional valve for adjusts a fluid flow, such as a coolant flow, is between at least two operating states. The valve includes a valve housing, an adjustable valve member, and a slotted link guide adapted to push the valve member into a sealing contact switching state with the valve housing and to guide the valve member into a releasing operating state shifted back with respect to the sealing contact operating state.
Claims
1. A directional valve for adjusting a fluid flow between at least two operating states, the directional valve comprising: a valve housing; an adjustable valve member; and a slotted link guide configured to push the valve member into a sealing contact operating state with the valve housing and configured to guide the valve member into a releasing operating state shifted back with respect to the sealing contact operating state.
2. The directional valve according to claim 1, wherein the slotted link guide comprises a slotted link path formed in a valve housing base, and made in one piece with the valve housing, wherein the valve member is guided by the slotted link guide.
3. The directional valve according to claim 2, wherein the slotted link path, when engaging the sealing contact operating state, extends such that the valve member is deflected radially with respect to its rotational actuating axis in the direction of a sealing contact surface of the valve housing.
4. The directional valve according to claim 3, wherein the slotted link guide has a plurality of press-on protrusions arranged at a distance from one another, which extend into the slotted link path, such that when the valve member travels over at least one of the press-on protrusions, the valve member is pushed by that at least one of the press-on protrusions into the sealing contact operating state.
5. The directional valve according to claim 2, wherein the slotted link path is formed by a guide groove, wherein the valve member has a guide protrusion acting as a sliding block and cooperating with the guide groove.
6. The directional valve according to claim 5, wherein the guide groove is annular in shape with respect to the rotational adjusting axis (R) of the valve member formed as a rotary piston and has a track switch distributed in the circumferential direction, which deflects the valve member out of the annular slotted link path for engaging the sealing contact operating state.
7. A directional valve for adjusting a coolant flow between at least two operating states, the directional valve comprising: a valve housing; and a valve member having an adjusting part to be connected to an actuator in a force-transmitting manner, and having a sealing part for making sealing contact with the valve housing, the sealing part being movably mounted relative to the adjusting part by a rail guide.
8. The directional valve according to claim 7, wherein the rail guide is realized by a shape-corresponding protrusion-recess structure on the adjusting part and the sealing part.
9. The directional valve according to claim 7, wherein the valve member can engage the sealing contact operating state when the sealing part is in sealing contact with the valve housing, and can engage the releasing operating state when the sealing part is moved away from the valve housing.
10. The directional valve according to claim 7, wherein the sealing part is movably mounted on the adjusting part in such a way that the sealing part is moved away from the valve housing when leaving the sealing contact under the influence of the fluid pressure.
11. The directional valve according to claim 10, wherein the axis of movement of the sealing part is oriented substantially orthogonal to the actuating axis, in particular rotational actuating axis, of the valve member.
12. The directional valve according to claim 8, wherein the protrusion-recess structure has a linear guide rail arranged on the sealing part or on the actuating member, further wherein a guide carriage is arranged on the actuating member or on the sealing part and is complementary in shape.
13. The directional valve according to claim 12, wherein the guide rail has an asymmetrical and substantially cruciform cross-section.
14. The directional valve according to claim 13, wherein the slotted link guide and the rail guide are matched to one another.
15. The directional valve according to claim 14, wherein the slotted link guide is configured to displace the sealing part relative to the adjusting part and to push it into a sealing contact with the valve housing in order to engage the sealing contact operating state.
16. The directional valve according to claim 15, wherein the sealing part performs an eccentric movement along the slotted link path when the valve member is set in such a way that the sealing part is pushed into the sealing contact operating stator by a track switch or a press-on protrusion, and is shifted back out of the sealing contact under the influence of the fluid pressure.
17. The directional valve according to claim 7, further comprising: a slotted link guide configured to push the valve member into a sealing contact operating state with the valve housing and configured to guide the valve member into a releasing operating state.
18. A motor vehicle directional valve for adjusting a fluid flow of a coolant, the motor vehicle directional valve comprising: a valve housing having at least two fluid openings; and a valve member adjustable between a closed state, in which the valve member is pushed into a sealing contact with the valve housing to fluid-tightly close one of the fluid openings, and an open state, in which the valve member is shifted back away from the valve housing to at least partially open the fluid opening.
19. The motor vehicle directional valve according to claim 18, wherein the valve member is free of a fluid passage.
20. The motor vehicle directional valve according to claim 18, further comprising: a slotted link guide configured to push the valve member into a sealing contact operating state with the valve housing and configured to guide the valve member into a releasing operating state.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] The figures illustrate principles of the invention according to specific embodiments. Thus, it is also possible to implement the invention in other embodiments, so that these figures are only to be construed as examples. Moreover, in the figures, embodiments, like any reference numerals, may correspond throughout the different drawings.
[0037] FIG. 1 is a section of a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a directional valve according to the embodiments;
[0038] FIG. 2 is a top view of a valve housing of the directional valve according to FIG. 1;
[0039] FIG. 3 is a perspective view in exploded view of a valve member of a further exemplary design of a directional valve according to the embodiments;
[0040] FIGS. 4-6 are schematic representations of various operating states of an exemplary version of a directional valve according to the embodiments;
[0041] FIG. 7 is a section of a perspective view of an exemplary further embodiment of a directional valve according to the embodiments;
[0042] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a further exemplary embodiment of a valve member of an embodiment of a directional valve according to the embodiments; and
[0043] FIG. 9 is a section of a perspective view of a directional valve comprising the valve member according to FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0044] In the following description of exemplary embodiments on the basis of the accompanying figures, a directional valve according to the embodiments, which is in particular a motor vehicle directional valve for adjusting a fluid flow, such as a coolant flow in a motor vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle engine, is generally provided with the reference numeral 1.
[0045] The directional valve 1 according to FIG. 1 essentially comprises the following main components: a valve housing, through which a fluid flow is flowable; and an adjustable valve member 5, which according to the exemplary embodiment is realized as a rotary piston, which is rotatable with respect to a rotational adjustment axis R for adjusting different operating states of the directional valve 1.
[0046] The valve housing 3 comprises a plurality of fluid connections or fluid openings 7, 9, 11, of which at least one fluid inlet and one fluid outlet are present. FIG. 1 shows that the valve housing 3 is open at the top and is sealed, in particular fluid-tight, by means of a valve cover 13. The fluid cover 13 has a central passage opening 15 through which the valve member 5 extends in a fluid-tight manner and in which it is rotationally mounted so that the valve member 5 can be coupled in a force-transmitting manner to an actuator not shown. The actuator is necessary to apply the actuating force for actuating the valve member 5, which is required to set the various operating states of the directional valve 1. At an end of the valve member 5 projecting from the valve cover 13, the latter can form a force transmission part 17 associated with the actuator.
[0047] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the valve member 5 comprises an adjusting part 19 to be coupled to an adjusting part in a force transmission manner, which adjusting part 19 has the force transmission part 17, and a sealing part 21 movable relative to the adjusting part 19, which sealing part 21 is designed for the purpose of a sealing contact operating state, in which the sealing part 21 closes one of the fluid openings 7, 9, 11 in a fluid-tight manner, and also a release operating state, in which the sealing part 21 opens the fluid openings 7, 9, 11, so that a fluid flow through the respective openings 7, 9, 11 is permitted. The sealing part 21 has a seal 25, such as an earring seal, on an end sealing surface 23 which is oriented radially outwards with respect to the rotational actuation axis R and which serves as a sealing face, in order to achieve an improved fluid-tight closure of the fluid openings 7, 9, 11. The relative mobility for changing between sealing contact operating state and release operating state, will be discussed further below.
[0048] The valve housing 3, which is rotationally shaped and has essentially a cup shape, has a closed valve housing base 27. A central pivot bearing 29 for the valve member 5, in particular its adjusting part 19, is provided in the valve housing base 27. The pivot bearing 29 comprises a bearing recess 33, which is bounded in particular by a circumferential wall 31 and into which a bearing journal 35 of the sealing part 21 extends. The bearing journal 35 is rotatable received within the bearing recess 33. Further, the bearing journal 35 is oriented substantially concentrically with respect to a shaft 37 of the adjusting part 19 extending along the rotational actuation axis R.
[0049] The engagement of the sealing contact operating state for fluid-tight closure of the fluid openings 7, 9, 11 as well as also the release of the individual fluid openings 7, 9, 11, i.e. The engagement of the release operating state, is achieved via a coupling and matching of a slotted link guide 39 and a rail guide 41. The slotted link guide 39 serves to push the valve member 5, in particular the sealing part 21, into the sealing contact operating state with the valve housing 5 and to guide the valve member 5, in particular the sealing part 21, out of the sealing contact operating state into a reset release operating state.
[0050] The rail guide 41 thereby acts as a kind of gear for converting a change in movement imposed by the slotted link guide into a displacement of the sealing part 21. The slotted link guide 39 has a slotted link path 43 formed in the valve housing 3, namely the valve housing base 27, and made in one piece with the valve housing 5, in which the valve member 5, in particular the sealing part 21, is guided. The slotted link path 43 is formed by a guide groove 45 formed in the valve housing 3, which is oriented in the circumferential direction with respect to the rotational actuation axis R. The guide groove 45 forms a closed ring in the circumferential direction so that the sealing part 21 guided therein can be continuously adjusted 360°. The sealing part 21 is guided and supported within the guide groove 45 by means of a guide protrusion 51, 53 provided on an top side 47 oriented in the direction of the rotational adjustment axis R and on the opposite bottom side 49 of the sealing part 21. It is also conceivable that the sealing part 21 has only a single guide protrusion 51, 53. The guide protrusion 51, 53 projects into the guide groove 45 in the direction of the rotational setting axis R and slides along the guide groove 45 in the radial direction during a rotational setting movement of the valve member 5. In this case, the guide protrusion 51, 53 acts as a sliding block and cooperates with the guide groove 45 to support and guide the valve member 5. In accordance with the embodiments, a directional valve with significantly reduced friction between the valve member 5 and the valve housing 3 is provided in a structurally simple manner, so that wear on the components is significantly reduced and less expensive actuators can be used, while at the same time ensuring sufficient tightness the sealing contact operating state. The advantages are achieved, among other things, by applying a particularly radial contact pressure for sealing the fluid openings 7, 9, 11 only when it is necessary, i.e. when the directional valve 1 is switched in such a way that a fluid opening 7, 9, 11 is to be closed.
[0051] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a valve body 3, from which the baffle guide 39 can be seen. According to FIG. 2, the guide groove defining the slotted link path 43 extends in the circumferential direction and concentrically with respect to the rotational actuation axis R and is bounded by two groove walls 55, 57 spaced apart in the radial direction. The radially inner groove wall 55 is part of a circumferential web 56 or protrusion which forms or bounds the guide groove 45. The guide protrusion 53, 51 may be shape-matched with respect to a cross-section, particularly a radial cross-section, of the guide groove 45 so that when the valve member 5 is positioned and the guide protrusion 51, 53 travels along the slotted link path 43, the guide protrusion 53, 51 may be in sliding contact with the groove walls 55, 57. The guide groove 45 is adjusted, or the sealing part 21 and the guide groove 45 are adjusted to each other, so that when the valve member 5 is moved in the area between each two adjacent fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11, there is no radial contact pressure and thus no radial frictional resistance between the sealing part 21 and the valve housing 3. In other words, the guide groove 45 is dimensioned such that the sealing part 21 is shifted back radially inwards with respect to a sealing contact operating state in which the sealing part can come into fluid-tight sealing contact with the valve housing 3, so that there is no frictional contact between the sealing part 21 and the valve housing 3. Thus, there is a radial distance between sealing part 21 and valve housing inner wall 4.
[0052] To ensure sufficient sealing contact for fluid-tight closure of the fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11, the guide groove in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2 has four points or press-on protrusions 59 distributed in the circumferential direction with respect to the rotational setting axis R. The press-on protrusions 59 are arranged on the radially inner groove wall 57 and extend radially outwards with respect to the rotational setting axis R. Furthermore, one press-on protrusion 59 each is associated with one fluid opening, 7, 9, 10, 11, and is oriented concentrically with respect to a central axis through the respective fluid opening 7, 9, 10, 11, so that, for engaging the sealing contact operating state in the course of a rotational actuating movement of the valve member 5 about the rotational actuating axis R, the sealing part 21 is pushed radially outwardly by the press-on protrusions 59 in the direction of the valve housing 3 in order to build up a radial contact pressure for fluid-tight closure of the respective fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11. Accordingly, the press-on protrusions 59 cause the sealing part 21 to be deflected or deflected transversely, in particular radially, with respect to the axis of rotational adjustment. The relative movement option of the sealing part 21 relative to the adjusting part 19 is realized, as already described, by means of the rail guide 41.
[0053] Referring again to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the rail guide 41 is implemented on a protrusion-recess structure on the adjusting part 19 and sealing part 21, which, according to FIG. 1, has a straight guide rail 61 on the adjusting part, which, according to FIG. 1, is formed by a pair of guide rail elements extending in parallel, and comprises a guide carriage 71 on the sealing part, which is complementary in shape to the guide rail 61. According to FIG. 1, the guide carriage 71 is arranged on an inner side of a guide component 65 facing and associated with the adjusting part 19 by means of a recess which is adapted in shape with respect to the guide rail 61, which guide component 65 is adapted in shape with respect to a guide part 67 on the adjusting part facing and associated with the sealing part 21 and is pushed or plugged onto the latter. As a result of the fact that the press-on protrusions 59 are assigned to and face the fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11, the adjusting part 19 is pushed radially outwards by the press-on protrusions 59 and by means of the guide rail-guide carriage structure on the adjusting part 19 and the sealing part 21 to engage the sealing contact operating state in order to build up a radial contact pressure.
[0054] FIG. 3 is another exemplary embodiment of a two-part valve member for a directional valve 1 according to the embodiments. For clarity, the sealing part 21 and the adjusting part 19 are configured in a disassembled state relative to each other. The essential difference between the embodiment according to FIG. 3 and the embodiment according to FIG. 1 is the realization of the rail guide 41. While in the embodiment according to FIG. 1 the sealing part 21 is pushed by means of the guide component 65 on the adjusting part onto an associated guide part 67 of the adjusting part or placed on it from the outside, the guide component 65 according to FIG. 3 is designed in such a way that it is pushed into an associated recess 69 in the force transmission part of the adjusting part 19.
[0055] For example, the guide component 65 can have a cross-shaped cross-section, in particular an asymmetrical cross-section. The same applies to the recess 69, so that incorrect assembly is prevented. In FIG. 3, the webs of the cruciform cross-section form the respective guide rails 61 of the rail guide 41. The recess 69, which is cruciform in cross-section and has a complementary shape, has associated guide cradles which slide along one another during a relative movement of the sealing part 21 and the adjusting part 19. It should be understood that it is also possible, for example, for the guide component 65 and the guide part 67 of sealing part 21 and adjusting part 19, respectively, to be of exactly the opposite design, so that the guide part 67 of adjusting part 19 comprises the cruciform guide rails 61, while the guide component 65 comprises the circular guide cradles, so that in turn guide part 67 of adjusting part 19 is pushed or inserted into guide component 65 of sealing part 19.
[0056] FIGS. 4 to 6 show, analogously to FIG. 2, a schematic top view of a valve housing 3 which, in contrast to the embodiment according to FIG. 2, has only three fluid connections 7, 9, 11, and in which a valve member 5, designed for example according to FIG. 3, is arranged. FIGS. 4 to 6 show different operating states based on the different rotational positions of the valve member 5 within the valve housing 3. FIGS. 4 to 6 show a rotational switching movement of the valve member 5 from a sealing contact operating state, in which the fluid opening 7 is closed fluid-tight (FIG. 4), to a sealing contact operating state with respect to the fluid opening 11 (FIG. 6). FIG. 5 shows a pivoted state in which all fluid openings 7, 9, 11 are at least partially uncovered.
[0057] A synopsis of FIGS. 4 to 6 shows the interaction of slide guide 39 and rail guide 42 according to the embodiments. The sealing contact operating state according to FIG. 4, the sealing part 21 is pushed radially outward into sealing contact with the valve housing inner wall 4 with respect to the adjusting part 19 by the slotted link guide 39 and by means of the rail guide 41, in order to build up a radial contact pressure with respect to the valve housing inner wall 4, so that the fluid opening 7 is closed as fluid-tightly as possible. As already mentioned, the radially outward urging of the sealing part 21 relative to the adjusting part 19 is effected by the cooperation of link guide 39 and rail guide 41. The guide protrusion 53 of the sealing part 21, which is guided within the guide groove 45 and accommodated therein, is deflected radially outward in a form-fitting manner by means of the press-on protrusion 59, which is associated with the fluid opening 7, as a result of which the corresponding guide rails and guide carriages on the sealing part and closing part slide along one another via the rail guide 41 in order to move the entire sealing part 21 radially outward. The increased radial distance between the sealing part 21 and the rotational actuating axis R can be seen, for example, by the radial distance of the sealing part guide rail 61 relative to the adjusting part 19 within the recess 69, which forms the guide carriage 71, compared to the design shown in FIG. 5, in which the valve member is shown in the pivoting range between two sealing contact closing states.
[0058] In FIG. 5, it can be seen that the sealing part 21 is recessed radially inward. This can be seen, on the one hand, from the fact that there is a radial distance between the valve housing inner wall 4 and the sealing/contact surface 23 and, furthermore, from the fact that radially on the inside, an inner side 73 of the sealing part 21 opposite the sealing/contact surface 23 has clearly approached a stop surface 75 of the adjusting part 19, which is formed by an end wall bounding the recess 69. Furthermore, it can be seen within the recess 69 that the guide rail 61 is offset back radially inwards. This is related to the fact that the guide protrusion 53 guided in the guide groove 45 continues to follow the guide groove walls 55, 57 of the guide groove 45 defining the slotted link path 43, which are offset radially inwardly relative to the press-on protrusions 59 in a pivoting region between two adjacent fluid openings 7, 9, 11, so that the guide protrusion 53 and consequently the entire sealing part 21 are also offset radially inwardly.
[0059] It is also conceivable, for example, that the radial backward displacement of the sealing part 21 takes place in particular exclusively under the influence of the acting fluid pressure when a fluid opening 7, 9, 10, 11 is opened. The operating state according to FIG. 6 is to be understood analogously to the sealing contact operating state according to FIG. 4, whereby in FIG. 6 another fluid opening, namely the fluid opening 11, is closed in a fluid-tight manner. The operation for forming the sealed-contact operating state is carried out in an analogous manner. In all valve states according to FIGS. 4 to 6, it can be seen that the valve member 5 does not have a fluid passage through which the fluid flow passes in an opening or release state of the valve member. The fluid flow within the valve housing 5 flows completely past or around the valve member 5.
[0060] FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation in a similar perspective as in FIG. 1 of a further exemplary embodiment of a directional valve 1 according to the embodiments. The embodiment according to FIG. 7 differs from the embodiment according to FIG. 1 essentially by the embodiment of the rail guide 41, which is realized according to FIG. 7 corresponding to the embodiment of the valve member 5 from FIG. 3. Furthermore, it can be seen in FIG. 7 that the slotted link guide 39 is realized according to the embodiments in FIGS. 2 and 4 to 6.
[0061] The slotted link guide according to FIG. 1 is to be understood in such a way that the sealing part 21 is moved back radially inwards when leaving the sealing contact operating state (FIG. 4; FIG. 6) essentially exclusively under the influence of the fluid pressure of the incoming fluid flow in order to reduce, in particular to prevent, the frictional contact between the sealing part 21 and the valve housing inner wall 4. In FIG. 7, the guiding of the sealing part 21 from the sealing contact operating state into the radially recessed release operating state is supported by the correspondingly shaped radially outer guide groove wall 55 (see in particular FIG. 2). In this respect, the sealing part 21 is here also pushed out of the sealing contact operating state in the direction of the release operating state.
[0062] In FIG. 7, it can also be seen that the sealing part 21 is configured differently from the sealing part 21 according to FIG. 1 with respect to the accommodation of a sealing element. The sealing part 21 has passage openings 77 oriented substantially radially with respect to the rotational axis R, and through which a sealing part can be mounted from the radially outer sealing/contact surface 23. The seal may be injected or inserted, for example, with the passage openings 77 serving to allow elastomeric material to be injected and bonded into the passage openings 77, particularly during injection of, for example, an elastomeric seal. The passage openings 77 can also have an undercut with respect to the injection or insertion direction for positive and/or non-positive coupling of sealing part 21 and sealing element.
[0063] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a further exemplary embodiment of a valve member 5, which according to FIG. 9 is used in a further exemplary directional valve 1 of the embodiments and is accommodated within a valve or fluid housing 3. In contrast to the preceding embodiments, the valve member 5 has two sealing parts 21 opposite each other in the radial direction with respect to the rotational actuating axis R, in particular of identical shape, which are coupled to each other by means of a matching rail guide 39 in order to realize in each case a possibility of relative movement of the two sealing parts 21 with respect to the single, central adjusting part 19. The valve member 5 according to FIGS. 8 and 9 is particularly suitable for a 4/2-directional valve, wherein two opposing fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11 can be closed simultaneously by means of the valve member 5. By means of the valve member 5 designed in this way, in each case two opposite fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11 are closed and the two further opposite fluid openings 7, 9, 11, 10 are released. In other words, the permitted fluid flow through the valve housing 3 takes place in a straight line via two fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11, which are in particular aligned opposite each other.
[0064] For guiding the fluid flow through the valve housing 3 and, in particular, through the valve member 5, in particular without flow loss, the valve member 5 according to FIGS. 8 and 9 comprises a central fluid passage 79 which fluidically connects the two fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11 to be released. An opening cross-section of the fluid passage 79 may be shape-matched with respect to an opening cross-section of the fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11 of the fluid housing 3. The fluid passage 79 is oriented transversely, in particular perpendicularly, on the one hand with respect to the rotational actuation axis R and on the other hand with respect to the direction of relative movement of the two adjusting parts 21 with respect to the adjusting part 19. In FIG. 9 it can be seen that when the valve member 5 is pivoted or adjusted, a guide protrusion 53 of each of the two sealing parts 21 is accommodated within the guide groove 45 in the valve housing 3 defining the slotted link path 43 and slides along within the guide groove 45 when the valve member 5 is adjusted. Due to the matching of the slotted link guide 39 and the rail guide 41, which is also present in this embodiment, the two sealing parts 21 are simultaneously pushed radially outwardly into the sealing contact operating state with the respective fluid opening 7, 9, 10, 11 by a respective press-on protrusion 59 associated with each of the two opposing fluid openings 7, 9, 10, 11 to be closed. Leaving the sealing contact operating state also occurs analogously and simultaneously for both sealing parts 21.
[0065] The features disclosed in the foregoing description, the figures and the claims may be of importance both individually and in any combination for the realization of the various embodiments.
LIST OF REFERENCES
[0066] 1 directional valve [0067] 3 valve housing [0068] 4 valve housing inner wall [0069] 5 valve member [0070] 7, 9, 10, 11 fluid opening [0071] 13 cover [0072] 15 passage opening [0073] 17 force transmission part [0074] 19 adjusting part [0075] 21 sealing part [0076] 23 sealing surface [0077] 25 seal [0078] 27 valve housing base [0079] 29 bearing [0080] 31 circumferential wall [0081] 33 recess [0082] 35 bearing journal [0083] 37 shaft [0084] 39 slotted link guide [0085] 41 rail guide [0086] 43 slotted link path [0087] 45 guide groove [0088] 47 top side [0089] 49 bottom side [0090] 51, 53 guide protrusion [0091] 55, 57 groove wall [0092] 56 circumference land [0093] 59 press-on protrusion [0094] 61 guide rail [0095] 63 guide rail element [0096] 65 guide component of sealing part [0097] 67 guide component of the adjusting part [0098] 69 recess [0099] 71 guide carriage [0100] 73 Inner side [0101] 75 arrestor contact surface [0102] 77 passage opening [0103] 79 fluid passage
