Water Drainage Device, Filter Module, and Method

Abstract

A water drainage device for a filter module is provided with a valve housing that has a valve bore, a valve body received at least in sections in the valve bore, an actuation rod for actuating the valve body, and a coupling device operatively connecting the actuation rod with the valve body and enabling a tilting of the actuation rod in relation to the valve body. The water drainage device can be transferred from a closed state, in which the valve body seals in relation to the valve seat of the valve bore, into an open state, in which the valve body is lifted off the valve seat, and in reverse. The filter module has a filter housing with a housing top part. The valve body, upon transfer of the water drainage device from closed state into open state, moves toward the housing top part of the filter housing.

Claims

1. A water drainage device for a filter module, the water drainage device comprising: a valve housing comprising a valve bore; a valve body received at least in sections thereof in the valve bore; an actuation rod configured to actuate the valve body; a coupling device operatively connecting the actuation rod with the valve body and configured to enable a tilting movement of the actuation rod in relation to the valve body; wherein the water drainage device is configured to be transferred from a closed state, in which the valve body seals in relation to a valve seat of the valve bore, into an open state, in which the valve body is lifted off the valve seat, and further configured to be transferred from the open state into the closed state.

2. The water drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the valve body, when the water drainage device is transferred from the closed state into the open state, moves linearly along a symmetry axis of the valve bore and moves away from the valve seat in an upward direction opposite or at a slant to a direction of gravity.

3. The water drainage device according to claim 2, wherein the valve bore widens viewed opposite to the direction of gravity.

4. The water drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device comprises a first axle and a second axle, wherein the actuation rod is configured to tilt about the first axle in relation to the valve body and is configured to tilt about the second axle in relation to the valve body, and wherein the first axle and the second axle are oriented perpendicularly to each other.

5. The water drainage device according to claim 4, further comprising a connection piece connected to the actuation rod, wherein the first axle is mounted at the valve body, and wherein the second axle is mounted at the connection piece.

6. The water drainage device according to claim 4, wherein the coupling device comprises an intermediate member connected to the first axle and to the second axle.

7. The water drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the valve bore comprises a thread section and wherein the valve body comprises a counter thread section that corresponds to the thread section of the valve bore, wherein the thread section of the valve bore and the counter thread section of the valve body interact with each other to convert a rotational movement of the valve body in relation to the valve housing into a linear movement of the valve body in the valve bore.

8. The water drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the actuation rod comprises a handwheel arranged at an end of the actuation rod remote from the coupling device.

9. The water drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the valve body comprises a first seal element configured to seal axially in relation to the valve seat in the closed state and further configured to be lifted off the valve seat in the open state.

10. The water drainage device according to claim 9, wherein the valve body comprises a second seal element configured to seal radially in relation to a connection section of the valve bore in the closed state, wherein the second seal element is arranged outside of the connection section of the valve bore in the open state.

11. The water drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the valve bore passes completely through the valve housing so that the valve housing is open at both end faces thereof.

12. The water drainage device according to claim 1, further comprising a water drainage channel opening into the valve bore and further comprising a water drainage socket leading out of the valve bore, wherein the valve body interrupts a fluid connection between the water drainage channel and the water drainage socket in the closed state, and wherein the valve body releases the fluid connection between the water drainage channel and the water drainage socket in the open state.

13. A filter module comprising: a filter housing comprising housing top part; and a water drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the valve body, upon transfer of the water drainage device from the closed state into the open state, moves toward the housing top part of the filter housing.

14. The filter module according to claim 13, wherein a symmetry axis of the filter module and a symmetry axis of the valve bore are slanted at a slant angle relative to each other, wherein the slant angle is an acute angle.

15. A method for actuating a water drainage device of a filter module, wherein the water drainage device comprises a valve housing comprising a valve bore, a valve body received at least in sections thereof in the valve bore, an actuation rod configured to actuate the valve body, and a coupling device operatively connecting the actuation rod with the valve body, the method comprising: actuating the actuation rod to transfer the water drainage device from a closed state, in which the valve body seals in relation to a valve seat of the valve bore, into an open state, in which the valve body is lifted off the valve seat, or in reverse from the open state to the closed state; tilting the actuation rod in relation to the valve body by the coupling device upon transfer of the water drainage device from the closed state into the open state, or in reverse from the open state into the closed state.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic partial view of an embodiment of a filter module.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a schematic section view of the filter module according to the section line II-II of FIG. 1.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a schematic partial section view of the filter module according to the section line II-II of FIG. 1.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a further schematic partial section view of the filter module according to the section line II-II of FIG. 1.

[0032] In the Figures, same or functionally the same elements, inasmuch as nothing different is indicated, are provided with the same reference characters.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic partial view of an embodiment of a filter module 1. FIG. 2 shows a schematic section view of the filter module 1 according to the section line II-II of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows a schematic partial section view of the filter module 1 according to the section line II-II of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 shows a further schematic partial section view of the filter module 1 according to the section line II-II of FIG. 1. In the following, reference is being had simultaneously to FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0034] The filter module 1 can also be referred to as filter or filter system. Preferably, the filter module 1 is a fuel filter module. The filter module 1 can thus be suitable for filtering fuels such as, for example, diesel, gasoline or kerosene. The filter module 1 can however also be suitable for filtering other arbitrary liquid operating substances such as, for example, oil, water, urea solution or the like. The filter module 1 is used preferably in vehicles, in particular in land craft. For example, the filter module 1 can be employed in utility vehicles such as, for example, trucks, construction machines or harvesting machines. In particular, the filter module 1 is suitable for so-called “heavy-duty” applications. The filter module 1 however can also be used in immobile applications, for example, in the building technology.

[0035] The filter module 1 comprises a filter housing 2 with a housing bottom part 3 and a housing top part 4 that is removable from the housing bottom part 3. The housing top part 4 can also be referred to as housing cover. The housing bottom part 3 and the housing top part 4 can be connected to each other by means of a screw connection. Between the housing bottom part 3 and the housing top part 4, a seal element, for example, in the form of an O-ring, can be provided. The housing bottom part 3 and the housing top part 4 can be plastic components, in particular injection-molded plastic components. The housing bottom part 3 and the housing top part 4 can also be metal components, in particular diecast aluminum components. The filter module 1 is substantially configured with rotational symmetry to a center or symmetry axis 5.

[0036] The housing bottom part 3 comprises a cup-shaped filter element receiving region 6 which, in the orientation of FIGS. 1 to 4, is closed off in upward direction by the housing top part 4. The filter element receiving region 6 receives a filter element 7. The filter element 7 is exchangeable after removal of the housing top part 4. The filter element 7 is suitable for filtering particles or suspended substances from a fluid to be filtered, for example, fuel. The filter element 7 is a fuel filter element. The filter element 7 is also suitable for separating water W from the fluid to be filtered.

[0037] Aside from the filter element receiving region 6, the housing bottom part 3 comprises a water collection chamber 8 that is arranged, viewed along the direction of gravity g, below the filter element receiving region 6 and is configured to receive the water W that has been separated by means of the filter element 7. The water collection chamber 8 comprises a bottom 9 arranged at a slant and is slanted toward a water drainage channel 10. A pin 11 extends away from the bottom 9 in the direction toward the filter element receiving region 6. A fill level sensor 12 is associated with the water collection chamber 8. The fill level sensor 12 is suitable for sending a signal as soon as a fill level of the water W collected in the water collection chamber 8 has reached the fill level sensor 12.

[0038] A water drainage device 13 is provided at the water collection chamber 8 and is in fluid communication with the water drainage channel 10 for draining the water W from the water collection chamber 8. The water drainage device 13 can also be referred to as water drainage valve. The water drainage device 13 comprises a valve housing 14 that is embodied as one piece, in particular monolithically, with the housing bottom part 3. “One piece” or “one part” means in this context that the valve housing 14 and the housing bottom part 3 are not assembled of different components but form one component. “Monolithic” means in this context that the valve housing 14 and the housing bottom part 3 are manufactured throughout of the same material.

[0039] The valve housing 14 is hollow and encloses a stepped valve bore 15. The valve bore 15 widens viewed along the direction of gravity g. The valve bore 15 comprises a thread section 16 with an inner thread. A circumferential groove 17 is provided at the end of the thread section 16. The thread section 16 passes with a cone-shaped slant 18 into a cylindrical seal section 19. The water drainage channel 10 opens at the seal section 19.

[0040] At the end of the seal section 19, a disk-shaped valve seat 20 is provided. The valve bore 15 opens by means of a connection section 21 into a water drainage socket 22 which is integrally formed at the valve housing 14. The connection section 21 comprises a smaller inner diameter than the seal section 19. The water drainage channel 10 is closed off by means of a plug 23.

[0041] The valve bore 15 is configured with rotational symmetry to a center or symmetry axis 24. The symmetry axis 24 is positioned at a slant at a slant angle α in relation to the symmetry axis 5. The slant angle α is an acute angle. “Acute angle” is to be understood presently as an angle of less than 90°. For example, the slant angle α amounts to 10° to 20°.

[0042] The water drainage device 13 comprises a valve body 25 that is received in the valve bore 15. In this context, the valve body 25 is linearly movable within the valve bore 15 along the symmetry axis 24. The valve body 25 comprises—like the valve bore 15—a stepped geometry. The valve body 25 comprises a plate-shaped end section 26 whose outer diameter is larger than an inner diameter of the thread section 16. The end section 26 is adjoined by a counter thread section 27 corresponding to the thread section 16 and comprising an outer thread. The thread section 16 and the counter thread section 27 can be left-handed. At the counter thread section 27, a seal element 28, in particular an O-ring, is mounted immediately below the end section 26.

[0043] The counter thread section 27 is adjoined by a seal section 29 which is received in the seal section 19. Three seal elements 30 to 32, for example, O-rings, are mounted on the seal section 29. For this purpose, corresponding grooves can be provided at the valve body 25.

[0044] The valve body 25 is coupled by means of a coupling device 33 to an actuation rod 34. The coupling device 33 enables a torque transmission from the actuation rod 34 to the valve body 25. For this purpose, a first end section 35 of the actuation rod 34 is connected fixedly to the coupling device 33. For example, a form-fit and/or a material-fused connection can be provided. A form-fit connection is created by the mutual engagement or engagement from behind of at least two connection partners. In material-fused connections, the connection partners are held together by atomic or molecular forces. Material-fused connections are non-detachable connections that can only be separated by destruction of the connection means and/or of the connection partners. For example, the first end section 35 is glued to the coupling device 33.

[0045] A handwheel 37 is attached to a second end section 36 of the actuation rod 34. The handwheel 37 is located in the region of the housing top part 4 so that the water drainage device 13 can be operated from there. The actuation rod 34 is passed through an elastically deformable sleeve 38, in particular a rubber sleeve. A holder for the sleeve 38 can be formed integrally at the filter housing 2.

[0046] The coupling device 33 enables an alignment compensation. This is required because otherwise the actuation rod 34 upon moving the valve body 25 out of the valve housing 14 would be moved too far away from the filter housing 2 and could collide with other components, for example, in an engine compartment of a vehicle. Moreover, providing a coupling device 33 has the advantage that the actuation rod 34 at its distal end (i.e., remote from the valve body) can be arranged closer to the filter housing 2. For an angle between the longitudinal axis of the valve body 25 and the main longitudinal axis of the filter module 1 (corresponds to longitudinal axis of the inserted filter element) of 10°-20°, which can barely be produced still by a cutting machining action in upward direction, a straight actuation rod without joint would project too far away radially and would have no room in the installation space. The coupling device 33 saves therefore space and enables a smaller slant angle between the actuation rod and the main longitudinal axis of the filter module 1.

[0047] For this purpose, the coupling device 33 is configured as a cardan joint or universal joint connecting the valve body 25 to the actuation rod 34. However, any other arbitrary coupling or any other arbitrary joint can be used that enables an alignment compensation.

[0048] The coupling device 33 comprises an axle 39 integrally formed at the valve body 25 as well as a connection piece 40 that receives the first end section 35 of the actuation rod 34 and is fixedly connected thereto. An axle 41 is integrally formed at the connection piece 40. The axles 39, 41 are oriented perpendicularly to each other. The axles 39, 41 are connected to each other by means of a crosspiece or intermediate member 42. The intermediate member 42 comprises for this purpose cutouts or grooves into which the axles 39, 41 can be pressed or clipped.

[0049] The function of the water drainage device 13 will be explained in the following. In operation of the filter module 1, the filter element 7 separates water W which collects in the water collection chamber 8. As soon as the fill level of the water W in the water collection chamber 8 has reached the fill level sensor 12, the latter issues a corresponding signal. By means of the signal, for example, an acoustic and/or optical signal transmitter can be controlled by means of which a user is advised that in the water collection chamber 8 a maximum fill level of the water W is reached.

[0050] The user actuates then the water drainage device 13 in order to drain the water W from the water collection chamber 8. For this purpose, the user displaces the valve body 25 in the valve bore 15 along the symmetry axis 24 in upward direction out of the valve bore 15 so that a fluid connection is produced between the water drainage channel 10 and the connection section 21. The water W then flows from the water drainage socket 22 into an environment of the filter module 1.

[0051] This is realized in that the seal element 31 mounted at the valve body 25 is lifted off its valve seat 20 due to the displacement of the valve body 25 along the symmetry axis 24. In doing so, the water drainage device 13 is transferred from its closed state Z1, in which the seal element 31 is contacting the valve seat 20 and in which the seal element 32 seals radially in relation to the connection section 21, into an open state Z2, in which the seal element 31 is lifted off the valve seat 20 and in which the seal element 32 has been moved out of the connection section 21. In the open state Z2, the seal element 30 seals in relation to the slant 18. In the closed state Z1, the seal element 30 is moved into the seal section 19 and seals radially in relation to the latter. Moreover, the seal element 28 seals in the closed state axially and radially in relation to the groove 17.

[0052] Since the water drainage socket 22 leads out of the valve bore 15, the water W flows through the water drainage channel 10 into the seal section 19 and from there through the connection section 21 into the water drainage socket 22. Due to the slanted bottom 9 of the water collection chamber 8, the latter is completely emptied. After emptying the water collection chamber 8, the water drainage device 13 is returned again into the closed state Z1.

[0053] Transferring the water drainage device 13 from the closed state Z1 into the open state Z2 and in reverse is realized in that the user rotates the handwheel 37. Due to the interaction of the thread section 16 of the valve bore 15 with the corresponding counter thread section 27, the valve body 25 is displaced then along the symmetry axis 24 out of the valve bore 15 and back into it again.

[0054] Upon transfer of the water drainage device 13 from the closed state Z1 into the open state Z2, the valve body 25 moves opposite to the direction of gravity g out of the valve bore 15. In this way, the valve body 25 moves with its end section 26 laterally away from the symmetry axis 5 at the same time. By means of the coupling device 33, this movement can be compensated in such a way that the actuation rod 34 with the handwheel 37 is not moved by the same amount laterally so as not to collide with other components.

[0055] The water drainage device 13 has the advantage that, by means of the handwheel 37, it is easily accessible from above whereby at the same time a minimal installation space is required because the coupling device 33 enables an alignment compensation.

EMPLOYED REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0056] 1 filter module [0057] 2 filter housing [0058] 3 housing bottom part [0059] 4 housing top part [0060] 5 symmetry axis [0061] 6 filter element receiving region [0062] 7 filter element [0063] 8 water collection chamber [0064] 9 bottom [0065] 10 water drainage channel [0066] 11 pin [0067] 12 fill level sensor [0068] 13 water drainage device [0069] 14 valve housing [0070] 15 valve bore [0071] 16 thread section [0072] 17 groove [0073] 18 slant [0074] 19 seal section [0075] 20 valve seat [0076] 21 connection section [0077] 22 water drainage socket [0078] 23 plug [0079] 24 symmetry axis [0080] 25 valve body [0081] 26 end section [0082] 27 counter thread section [0083] 28 seal element [0084] 29 seal section [0085] 30 seal element [0086] 31 seal element [0087] 32 seal element [0088] 33 coupling device [0089] 34 actuation rod [0090] 35 end section [0091] 36 end section [0092] 37 handwheel [0093] 38 sleeve [0094] 39 axle [0095] 40 connection piece [0096] 41 axle [0097] 42 intermediate member [0098] g direction of gravity [0099] W water [0100] Z1 state [0101] Z2 state [0102] α slant angle