Actuator of a refrigerant valve, valve arrangement comprising a refrigerant valve and an actuator and method for mounting an actuator of a refrigerant valve to the refrigerant valve

Abstract

An actuator of a refrigerant valve is described, the actuator comprising a housing (5) having a chamber (12) with an opening (15) in an end face (26) of an end section (17) of the housing (5), the end section (17) having an outer thread (18), a tightening collar (6) having a radially inwardly protruding flange (20) and an inner thread (19) matching the outer thread (18), and an anchor ring (7) positionable between the tightening collar (6) and the end face (16), wherein the anchor ring (7) is elastically deformable at least in a radial direction with respect to an axis of the outer thread (18) and in a mounted condition at least partially overlaps the end face (16) and the flange (20) of the tightening collar (6), wherein a sealing ring (8) at the end face (16) shows a free side to the axial direction and is com-pressed by an axial force produced by screwing the tightening collar (6) onto the outer thread (18).

Claims

1. An actuator of a refrigerant valve, the actuator comprising a housing having a chamber with an opening in an end face of an end section of the housing, the end section having an outer thread, a tightening collar having a radially inwardly protruding flange and an inner thread matching the outer thread, and an anchor ring positionable between the tightening collar and the end face, wherein the anchor ring is elastically deformable at least in a radial direction with respect to an axis of the outer thread and in a mounted condition at least partially overlaps the end face and the flange of the tightening collar, wherein a sealing ring at the end face shows a free side to the axial direction and is compressed by an axial force produced by screwing the tightening collar onto the outer thread, and wherein the axial force is transmitted through the anchor ring to compress the sealing ring.

2. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein valve element driving means are arranged in, at a front face of and/or around the chamber.

3. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein a recess is arranged in the end face and the sealing ring is arranged in the recess, the recess having a cross section differing from the cross section of the sealing ring.

4. The actuator according to claim 3, wherein in at least one radial position an extension of the cross section of the sealing ring in axial direction is larger than a corresponding extension of the recess at the same position.

5. The actuator according to claim 4, wherein the sealing ring comprises a circular cross section and the recess comprises a triangular cross section.

6. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the recess comprises a volume which is smaller than the volume of the sealing ring.

7. The actuator according to claim 3, wherein the recess is open radially inwardly.

8. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the anchor ring is in form of a spring ring.

9. The actuator according to claim 8, wherein the spring ring comprises a plurality of teeth pointing in a radial direction.

10. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the tightening collar comprises an unscrew protection.

11. A valve arrangement comprising the refrigerant valve having a connection geometry to which an actuator according to claim 1 is mounted, wherein the connection geometry comprises a mounting section having a diameter larger than the diameter of the opening, smaller than the diameter of the end face, and smaller than an inner diameter of the tightening collar, wherein the mounting section comprises a radial protrusion behind which the anchor ring engages, wherein a sealing ring between the mounting section and the end face is compressed by an axial force produced by screwing the tightening collar onto the outer thread.

12. The valve arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the end face rests against the mounting section.

13. The valve arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the mounting section comprises an axial protrusion having an outer diameter matching an inner diameter of the opening.

14. The valve arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the refrigerant valve comprises a drive section protruding into the chamber.

15. The valve arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the anchor ring has a radial extension which is smaller than a difference between a diameter of the inner thread and an outer diameter of the mounting section.

16. A method for mounting an actuator of a refrigerant valve to the refrigerant valve, wherein a mounting section of the refrigerant valve is inserted into an opening of a chamber in an end section of the actuator, the end section being provided with an outer thread, and the actuator and the refrigerant valve are connected, wherein a tightening collar having a radially inwardly protruding flange and an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the mounting section is screwed onto the outer thread, wherein prior to screwing the tightening collar onto the outer thread the tightening collar is placed around the mounting section and an elastically deformable anchor ring overlapping in a mounted condition at least partly an end face of the end section and the flange of the tightening collar is arranged behind a radial protrusion of the mounting section, wherein a sealing ring is placed between the mounting section and the end face, wherein the sealing ring is axially compressed during mounting by an axial force, and wherein the axial force is transmitted through the anchor ring to compress the sealing ring.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the anchor ring is radially expanded before placing it around the mounting section.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sealing ring is axially compressed during mounting at most by 20%.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a valve arrangement comprising a refrigerant valve and an actuator,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective exploded view of parts of the actuator including the top part of the valve,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of a connection between the valve and the actuator,

(5) FIG. 4 shows an enlarged detail IV of FIG. 3,

(6) FIG. 5 shows an alternative unscrew protection,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a first embodiment of an anchor ring,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of an anchor ring,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of an anchor ring,

(10) FIG. 9a shows the sealing ring 8 in undeformed condition, and

(11) FIG. 9b shows the sealing ring 8 in deformed condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) FIG. 1 schematically shows in a perspective view a valve arrangement 1 comprising a refrigerant valve 2 and an actuator 3. The refrigerant valve 2 comprises an upper part 4 to which the actuator 3 is mounted. The refrigerant valve 2 can be hermetically sealed.

(13) FIG. 2 shows parts of the actuator 3 which are used to mount and to fix the actuator 3 to the upper part 4 of the refrigerant valve 2. These parts are the housing 5 of the actuator 3, a tightening collar 6, an anchor ring 7 and a sealing ring 8.

(14) Furthermore, a pin 9 is shown which can be used as an unscrew protection. To this end the tightening collar 6 comprises a number of recesses 10 which are distributed in circumferential direction over the outer circumference of the tightening collar 6. The housing 5 of the actuator 3 comprises a further recess 11. Once the tightening collar 6 is placed in its final position, the pin 11 can be pressed into the recess 11 in the housing 5 of the actuator and in a corresponding recess 10 on the tightening collar. The pin 11 is then held by a snap-on connection.

(15) As can be seen in FIG. 3, the housing 5 of the actuator 3 comprises a chamber 12 in which valve element driving means 13 are arranged. The valve element driving means 13 are in form of magnets which are fixed to a shaft 14 which is rotatably driven by the actuator 3.

(16) The chamber 12 comprises an opening 15 in an end face 16 of an end section 17 of the housing 5. Furthermore, the end section 17 has an outer thread 18.

(17) The tightening collar 6 comprises an inner thread 19 and a flange 20 which protrudes radially inwardly. Thus, the inner diameter of the flange 20 is smaller than the diameter of the inner thread 19 and defines the smallest inner diameter of the tightening collar 6.

(18) The upper part 4 comprises a connection geometry 21 having a mounting section 22. The mounting section 22 has a diameter which is larger than the diameter of the opening 15. Furthermore, the mounting section 22 has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the end face 16 and it is also smaller than an inner diameter of the tightening collar 6 which is defined by the flange 20.

(19) In order to tighten the housing 5 of the actuator against the connection geometry 21 of the upper part 4 of the refrigerant valve 2, the anchor ring 7 is used. The anchor ring 7 is elastically deformable. Thus, it can be radially enlarged and in the enlarged condition guided over the mounting section 22 of the refrigerant valve 2. More precisely, it is sufficient to guide the anchor ring 7 behind a radial protrusion 24 of the mounting section 22 and to release the anchor ring 7, so that the anchor ring 7 can no longer be moved away from the upper part 4 of the refrigerant valve 2. The radial protrusion can be formed by a wall of a groove 25.

(20) The anchor ring 7 now overlaps in radial direction the flange 20 of the tightening collar 6 and the end face 16 of the end section 17. When the tightening collar 6 is screwed onto the end section 17, the anchor ring 7 forms a counter part or counter element against which the tightening collar 6 abuts, so that it is possible to produce an axial force moving the end section 17 of the actuator 3 against the mounting section 22 of the refrigerant valve 2.

(21) The sealing ring 8 is arranged in a recess 28 in the end face 16 of the end section 17. The recess 28 is open radially inwardly. Furthermore, the recess 28 has a section which is smaller than the section of the sealing ring 8. The relation between the sections can be such that the sealing ring 8 is compressed by at most 20% when the end face 16 comes into contact with the mounting section 22. It is not absolutely necessary that the sealing ring 8 fully fills the recess. It is sufficient, when the sealing ring 8 is compressed during mounting.

(22) As can be seen in FIG. 3, the mounting section 22 comprises a protrusion 29 having an outer diameter matching an inner diameter of the opening 15. Thus, when the actuator 3 is mounted on the refrigerant valve 2, it is radially precisely positioned.

(23) The refrigerant valve 2 comprises a drive section 30 protruding into the chamber 12. The driving section 30 is arranged in an operating range of the valve driving means 13. In a way not shown, driven elements of the refrigerant valve 2 are arranged in the drive section 30. The driven elements are driven by the drive elements 13, in particular by a magnetic driving force.

(24) FIG. 5 shows another possibility of an unscrew protection. A locking nut 31 is screwed onto the outer thread 18. Once the tightening collar 6 has been screwed into the final position, the locking nut 31 is screwed in the opposite direction to clamp the locking collar 6 on the outer thread 18.

(25) FIG. 6 shows a first embodiment of the anchor ring 7 in form of a spring ring 32. The spring ring 32 has a gap 33 in circumferential direction. Furthermore, two small holes 34, 35 are provided in sections near the gap 33. A mounting tool can engage the holes 34, 35 to spread the spring ring 32 and to enlarge its inner diameter, so that it can be moved over the protrusion 24 of the mounting section 22. When the spring ring 32 is released, it is positioned in the groove 25 and forms the anchor ring 7.

(26) FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the anchor ring 7. This anchor ring 7 comprises a number of teeth 36 which protrude radially inwardly. These teeth 36 enter the groove 25 and are positioned behind the radial protrusion 24. The teeth 36 are connected by small bridges 37 running in circumferential direction. Furthermore, this anchor ring 7 comprises likewise a gap 33 so that it can be enlarged.

(27) FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the anchor ring 7 having likewise teeth 36 protruding radially inwardly. However, the teeth are formed by a zick-zack form of the anchor ring 7.

(28) In any way, the radial extension of the anchor ring 7 is smaller than a distance between the radial protrusion 24 and the inner thread 19 of the tightening collar 6. Thus, the anchor ring 7 can be mounted even when the tightening collar 6 overlaps the radial protrusion 24 in axial direction.

(29) FIG. 9 shows an second embodiment of the connection of the valve 2 and the actuator 3. Same elements are denoted with the same reference numerals.

(30) FIG. 9a shows the sealing ring 8 in undeformed condition. The sealing ring 8 can be in form of an O-ring having a circular cross section. Other cross sections are possible. The recess 28 has a triangular cross section, i. e. the height or extension in axial direction decreases from a radially inner part of the recess to a radially outer part of the recess 28. The cross sections of the sealing ring 8 and of the recess 28 do not coincide. In some radial sections of the recess 28 the axial extension of the sealing ring 8 is larger than the axial extension of the recess 28. The directional terms “axial” and “radial” refer to an axis of the outer thread 18. In other radial sections of the recess 28 the axial extension of the sealing ring 8 is smaller than that of the recess 28, so that in an undeformed state of the sealing ring there are empty areas of the recess 28.

(31) When the tightening collar 6 is screwed onto the outer thread 18, the sealing ring 8 is compressed and deformed into the previously empty spaces, so that an overpressure of the sealing ring can be avoided, however, a sufficient and reliably tightness can be achieved.

(32) While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to this disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.