Crankcase Ventilation Valve, Crankcase Ventilation Filter and Crankcase

Abstract

A crankcase ventilation valve comprises a membrane element with a metal support washer and a conical spring, the end face of which acts on the support washer.

Claims

1. A crankcase ventilation valve, comprising: a valve element configured to be installed on a ventilation aperture of a crankcase, or in a crankcase ventilation valve housing or in a housing of a crankcase ventilation filter; a conical spring whose front face has a larger diameter is acting upon the valve element, and a cover to be fixed to the crankcase, the crankcase ventilation valve housing or the housing of the crankcase ventilation filter and supporting the opposite end of the conical spring, wherein the valve element is a membrane element which carries a support washer), wherein the support washer is made of metal and supports the conical spring.

2. The crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein the support washer is overmolded by a portion of a material of the membrane element.

3. The crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 2, wherein the support washer is injection-molded by the material of the membrane element.

4. The crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 2, wherein a radial outside of the support washer is surrounded by the material of the membrane element.

5. The crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein the support washer is axially completely integrated into or embedded into the membrane element.

6. The crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein a side of the cover facing the conical spring has a guide element adapted to guide and center the conical spring.

7. The crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 6, wherein the guide element is formed as a cylinder or a cone.

8. The crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein the membrane element is made of a rubber material.

9. The crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a maximum diameter on a first end of the conical spring to a minimum diameter on an opposite second end of the conical spring is at least 1.5.

10. The crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 1, wherein the support washer is made of sheet metal.

11. A crankcase ventilation filter comprising: a housing; and a crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 1.

12. A crankcase comprising: a crankcase ventilation valve according to claim 1.

13. A crankcase comprising: a crankcase ventilation filter according to claim 11.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] A description will now be given as a non-limiting example of a form of embodiment of a plug-in-connection according to the present invention. Reference will be made to the attached drawings, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 is a prospective view of a crankcase including a crankcase ventilation valve according to the invention in an exploded view,

[0026] FIG. 2 is an side view of the crankcase including the crankcase ventilation valve,

[0027] FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the crankcase ventilation valve,

[0028] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the outside of a cover of the valve,

[0029] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the inside of a cover,

[0030] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a membrane element of the valve,

[0031] FIG. 7 is a side view of the valve,

[0032] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the valve,

[0033] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a conical spring of the valve,

[0034] FIG. 10 is a side view of the conical spring,

[0035] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the conical spring.

[0036] In the figures, same components are provided with the same reference characters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] On the housing 1 of a crankcase ventilation filter a crankcase ventilation valve 2 is arranged, which is placed on a ventilation aperture 3 in the side area of the housing 1. The crankcase ventilation valve 2 comprises a membrane element 4 with an integrated support washer 5, a conical spring 6 and a cover 7. The membrane element 4 is placed on the ventilation aperture 3 in the housing 1. A spring force exerted by the conical spring 6 acts on the membrane element 4, pressing it in a closing position on the ventilation aperture 3. The end face of the conical spring 6 with its larger diameter is supported by the support washer 5 in the membrane element 4. The opposite face of the conical spring 6 is supported on the inside of the cover 7.

[0038] Membrane element 4 consists of a rubber material such as HNBR. The support washer 5 is made of metal, in particular sheet metal.

[0039] The ventilation aperture 3 is located in a receptacle 8 of the housing 1 in which the membrane element 4 is inserted. The receptacle 8 also serves to receive and fasten the cover 7. The spring force of the conical spring 6 presses the membrane element 4 into the seat in the receptacle 8 via the support washer 5 and thereby closes the ventilation aperture 3. At the opposite end, the conical spring 6 is supported in the cover 7. The spring force is conducted via the cover 7 into the receptacle 8 on the housing 1.

[0040] The metal support washer 5 is round and has a circumferential, axially projecting edge. The support plate 5 is completely accommodated in the membrane element 4. The radial outside of the support washer 5 is completely surrounded by the material of the membrane element 4. In the axial direction, the support plate 5 does not project beyond the membrane element 4.

[0041] The membrane element 4 has a semicircular outer contour and a section 4a which is radially widened. The ventilation aperture 3 is round, the mounting 8 has a contour which corresponds to the contour of the membrane element 4. The cover 7 has a corresponding contour, too.

[0042] The membrane element 4 and the support washer 5 form a combined component. The support washer 5 is overmolded by the material of the membrane element 4 which is preferably done by injection molding.

[0043] The conical spring 6 has a conicity that the ratio of the maximum diameter at one end of the conical spring 6 to the minimum diameter at the opposite end of the conical spring 6 is at least 1.5. The conicity of the conical spring 6 is such that when the conical spring 6 is compressed, adjacent spring coils lie radially in each other.

[0044] The combination of conical spring 6 and support washer 5 made of metal and integrated in membrane element 4 has the advantage that tilting of conical spring 6 and membrane element 4 can be avoided. The spring force of the conical spring 6 is distributed over a relatively large area on the support washer 5. Punctual forces on the support washer 5 can be avoided.

[0045] On the inside of the cover 7 there is a guide element 9, which is designed as a hollow cylinder. The guide element 9 may have a low conicity. The guide element 9 serves to accommodate the cone spring 6 at its end with minimum diameter. The conical spring 6 is guided and centered on the guide element 9, which further reduces the risk of tilting of the conical spring 6. The guide element 9 projects into the conical spring 6.

[0046] The membrane element 4 has an axially projecting ring 4b on its side facing the conical spring 6, which surrounds the support washer 5. On its radial outer side, the ring 4b expands to form a circumferential fastening section 4c (FIG. 3), which is accommodated in a recess in the receptacle 8 and fixed by the cover 7 for connecting firmly the outer edge of the membrane element 4 to the housing 1.

[0047] The support washer 5 has a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the ventilation aperture 3. The membrane element 4 is supported by a side edge 10 (FIG. 1, 3), and the support washer 5 is also supported by side edge 10. The spring forces exerted by the conical spring 6 are thus transmitted from the support washer 5 via the membrane element 4 to the side edge 10 of the receptacle 8.

[0048] With respect to FIGS. 1-3, the crankcase ventilation valve 2 is described in an embodiment in which it is placed on a ventilation aperture in a housing 1 of a crankcase ventilation filter, which is configured for being connected to a ventilation line of a crankcase. However, as described and understood by the skilled person, the valve according to the invention can also be used attached to a crankcase or to a separate housing for the crankcase ventilation valve.