Valve

Abstract

A valve has a valve housing, at least one valve opening, a valve element movably mounted inside the valve housing along a direction of movement B1, B2 between a closing position and an opening position, at least one spring element to reset the valve element from the opening position to the closing position, a carrier element movably mounted inside the valve housing along the direction of movement B1 and at least one sealing element attached to the carrier element. The at least one sealing element and the carrier element are a multi-component part, and may be for example a two-component part.

Claims

1. A valve comprising: a valve housing; at least one valve opening defined in the housing; a valve element movably mounted inside the valve housing along a direction of movement B1, B2 between a closing position and an opening position; at least one spring element configured to reset the valve element from the opening position to the closing position; a carrier element movably mounted inside the valve housing along the direction of movement; and at least one sealing element connected to the carrier element, the at least one sealing element and the carrier element being configured as a multi-component part, especially a two-component part.

2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the carrier element and the at least one sealing element are at least one of mechanically and chemically attached to one another.

3. The valve according to claim 2, wherein the carrier element defines at least one through opening through which the at least one sealing element extends and engages the at least one sealing element from behind.

4. The valve according to claim 1, wherein a cavity is defined between the carrier element and a sealing edge of the at least one sealing element or between the carrier element and a sealing area.

5. The valve according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the cavity, the sealing edge, and the sealing area is configured in a ring shape.

6. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve defines a first valve opening and a second valve opening, wherein the valve element is movably mounted along the direction of movement B1 between the closing position and a first opening position to open the first valve opening and along the direction of movement B2 between the closing position and a second opening position to open the second valve opening.

7. The valve according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the first valve opening is located in the valve housing and the second valve opening is located in the carrier element.

8. The valve according to claim 6, wherein the at least one sealing element has a first sealing area that acts together with a sealing surface surrounding the first valve opening, and has a second sealing area that acts together with a sealing surface surrounding the second valve opening.

9. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve element has a valve shaft and a valve head, wherein the valve shaft is movably mounted and guided inside an opening defined in the carrier element along the direction of movement B2 and held in a holding element, and wherein the valve head is arranged on a side of the opening opposite the holding element and, at least in the closing position, makes contact with at least one of the at least one sealing element and the carrier element.

10. The valve according to claim 9, wherein the holding element has a disk-shaped section and retaining hooks that extend from the disk-shaped section in direction of movement B2 of the valve element.

11. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the carrier element has guiding elements on an outer side to guide the carrier element inside the valve housing.

12. The valve according to claim 11, wherein the guiding elements are configured at least one of as ring-shaped projections surrounding the carrier element in a circumferential direction and unitarily as one single piece with the carrier element.

13. The valve according to claim 1, wherein guiding elements are located in the opening of the carrier element to guide the valve element.

14. The valve according to claim 13, wherein the guiding elements are configured as at least one of guiding ribs extending in a direction of movement B1, B2 of the valve element and unitarily as one single piece with the carrier element.

15. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing has at least one projection protruding from an inner side that forms a stop surface for at least one of the valve element and the carrier element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The disclosure will be explained in more detail below, also with respect to additional features and advantages, by describing embodiments and with reference to the attached drawings, which show in each case in a schematic diagram:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a valve in closing position;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the valve from FIG. 1 in an opening position at excess pressure;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the valve from FIG. 1 in an opening position at negative pressure; and

[0030] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the sealing element and carrier element according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a valve 2 with a valve housing 4, which in this case has a lid 4a and a housing part 4b, in closing position. The valve 2 is provided to protect a fuel tank against pressures that exceed or fall below a threshold. The valve housing 4 has a first connecting piece 6a to connect the valve 2 to the fuel tank and a second connecting piece 6b to connect the valve 2 to the activated charcoal filter or the atmosphere. Here, both connecting pieces 6a, 6b are executed as one single pieces with the valve housing 4, more precisely with the housing part 4b. Furthermore, the valve 2 has a first valve opening 8a and a second valve opening 8b. Inside the valve housing 4, a valve element 10 and a carrier element 12 are movably mounted.

[0032] The carrier element 12 and a sealing element 14 firmly attached to it are executed as a two-component part. As a result of this, the carrier element 12 and the sealing element 14 are, on the one hand, already chemically attached to one another. To strengthen the attachment, the carrier element 12 also has several through openings 16 that extend preferably in a direction of movement B1, B2 of the carrier element 12 and through which the sealing element 14 extends. In addition, the sealing element 14 engages the carrier element 12 from behind to ensure an effective form-fitting connection in both direction of movements B1, B2.

[0033] The valve element 10 comprises a valve shaft 10a and a valve head 10b. The valve shaft 10a is movably mounted and guided inside an opening 18 of the carrier element 12. Moreover, the valve shaft 10a is held or fixed in place in a holding element 20. To achieve this, the holding element 20 has a disk-shaped section 22, on which an end section of the valve shaft 10a is opposite the valve head 10b rests, and several, especially three, retaining hooks 24 extending from the disk-shaped section 22 in the direction of movement B2 and fix the valve element 10 or the valve shaft 10a in place between them. The valve head 10b is arranged on a side of the opening 18 opposite the holding element 20. In FIG. 1 (which shows the closing position), the valve head 10b abuts the sealing element 14.

[0034] If inadmissible excess pressure prevails in the fuel tank, the valve 2 or its first valve opening 8a is opened. FIG. 2 shows the valve 2 in this first opening position when there is excess pressure in the fuel tank (for the sake of clarity, the components primarily relevant for the excess pressure valve function are provided with reference signs). Here, the valve element 10, the holding element 20 and the carrier element 12 are moved together with the sealing element 14 from the closing position (FIG. 1) in a direction of movement B1 to the first opening position (FIG. 2) and the first valve opening 8a (which is here executed in the valve housing 4, more precisely in the housing part 4b) is opened. When this occurs, the sealing element 14 lifts off from a sealing surface 26a surrounding the valve opening 8a that is here formed by the valve housing 4. The firm attachment between carrier element 12 and sealing element 14 prevents the sealing element 14 from detaching from it, thereby guaranteeing a reliable and fast opening of the valve 2 when there is excess pressure in the fuel tank. So the carrier element 12 moves with as little friction as possible inside the valve housing 4 and prevents the carrier element 12 from tilting, the carrier element 12 has on its outer side ring-shaped projections 28 surrounding it in a circumferential direction that serve as guiding elements. The projections 28 are additionally executed as one single pieces with the carrier element 12. In order to restrict the movement of the valve element 10 in direction of movement B1, the valve housing 4 has a ring-shaped projection 34a protruding from its inner side that forms a stop surface for the carrier element 12. To reset the valve element 10 from the first opening position to the closing position after the excessive pressure has been reduced, the valve 2 has a first spring element 30a. The first spring element 30a is arranged inside the carrier element 12 and grasps the valve element 10 or its valve shaft 10b. The first spring element 30a rests with a first end on the valve housing 4, more precisely on the lid 4a, and with a second end on an inner side of the carrier element 12.

[0035] If inadmissible negative pressure prevails in the fuel tank, the valve 2 or its second valve opening 8b is opened. FIG. 3 shows the valve 2 in this second opening position when there is negative pressure in the fuel tank (for the sake of clarity, the components primarily relevant for the negative pressure valve function are provided with reference signs). Here, the valve element 10 and the holding element 20 are moved from the closing position (FIG. 1) in a direction of movement B2 to the second opening position (FIG. 3) and the second valve opening 8b is opened. Here, the second valve opening 8b is executed in the carrier element 12, more precisely in its front side wall, and corresponds to the opening 18, inside which the valve element 10 or its valve shaft 10a is guided. When the second valve opening 8b is opened, the valve element 10more precisely, the valve head 10bforms a sealing surface 26b surrounding the valve opening 8b, from which the sealing element 14 is detached. Here, the firm attachment between carrier element 12 and sealing element 14 also prevents the sealing element 14 from moving together with the valve element 10 and thus detach from the carrier element 12. Thus, a reliable and fast opening of the valve 2 is also guaranteed when there is negative pressure in the fuel tank. In order to restrict the movement of the valve element 10 inside the opening 18 of the carrier element 12 with as little friction as possible and preventing a tilting of the valve element 10 in the opening 18, guiding ribs 32 extending in the direction of movement are available in the opening 18 and executed as one single pieces with the carrier element 12. To restrict the movement of the valve element 10 in direction of movement B2, the valve housing 4 has a projection 34b protruding from its inner side that forms a stop surface for the valve head 10b. To reset the valve elements 10 from the second opening position to the closing position after the negative pressure has been reduced, the valve 2 has a second spring element 30b. The second spring element 30b is, in turn, arranged inside the carrier element 12 and grasps the valve element 10 or its valve shaft 10a. The second spring element 30b rests with a first end on the holding element 20, more precisely on its disk-shaped section 22, and with a second end on the inner side of the carrier element 12.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of the carrier element 12 and the sealing element 14 according to an embodiment. The sealing element 14 is executed here as one single piece and has a first sealing area 36a and a second sealing area 36b. The first sealing area 36a comprises a first sealing edge 38a that acts together with the sealing surface 26a surrounding the first valve opening 8a (not shown in FIG. 4). The second sealing area 36b comprises a second sealing edge 38b that acts together with the sealing surface 26b surrounding the second valve opening 8b (not shown in FIG. 4). Owing to the line-shaped contact area, sealing edges 38a, 38b have the advantage that possible irregularities on the sealing surfaces 26a, 26b can be better compensated, so a better tightness of the valve 2 can be achieved.

[0037] A cavity 40a, 40b has been executed in each case between the carrier element 12 and the sealing areas 36a, 36b of the sealing element 14 so the sealing area 36a, 36b and the sealing edges 38a, 38b can be more flexibly designed. Here, the cavities 40a, 40b extend in circumferential direction U on both sides beyond the sealing edges 38a, 38b. Both the cavities 40a, 40b and the sealing area 36a, 36b as well as the sealing edges 38a, 38b are executed in a ring-shaped way. In this case, the cavities 40a, 40b are separately executed from one another, but a joint cavity for both sealing areas 36a, 36b and sealing edges 38a, 38b is also conceivable.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0038] 2 Valve [0039] 4 Valve housing [0040] 4a Lid of the valve housing [0041] 4b Housing part of the valve housing [0042] 6a, 6b Connecting pieces [0043] 8a First valve opening [0044] 8b Second valve opening [0045] 10 Valve element [0046] 10a Valve shaft of the valve element [0047] 10b Valve head of the valve element [0048] 12 Carrier element [0049] 14 Sealing element [0050] 16 Through opening of the carrier element [0051] 18 Opening of the carrier element [0052] 20 Holding element [0053] 22 Disk-shaped section of the holding element [0054] 24 Retaining hook [0055] 26a Sealing surface of the valve housing [0056] 26b Sealing surface of the valve element [0057] 28 Projections [0058] 30a First spring element [0059] 30b Second spring element [0060] 32 Guiding ribs [0061] 34a Projection [0062] 34b Projection [0063] 36a First sealing area of the sealing element [0064] 36b Second sealing area of the sealing element [0065] 38a First sealing edge [0066] 38b Second sealing edge [0067] 40a Cavity [0068] 40b Cavity [0069] B1 Direction of movement from closing position to first opening position [0070] B2 Direction of movement from closing position to second opening position [0071] U Circumferential direction