Air Dryer Device and Air Treatment Device

Abstract

An air dryer device for an air treatment device for a utility vehicle includes at least one housing forming at least one accommodation chamber for accommodating at least one desiccant container. The housing has at least one housing socket arranged, in a mounted state, at a bottom region of the housing; at least one first connection device and at least one second connection device, wherein the first and second connection device, via the desiccant container, are connectable during at least one load phase and/or during at least one regeneration phase of the air dryer device; at least one regeneration conduit for connecting the first connection device with the second connection device during the regeneration phase; and at least one first control valve arranged and configured for opening or closing the regeneration conduit, especially wherein the first control valve is arranged at the housing socket.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. An air dryer device for an air treatment device of a utility vehicle, comprising: at least one housing forming at least one accommodation chamber for accommodating at least one desiccant container, wherein the housing comprises: at least one housing socket arranged, in a mounted state, at a bottom region of the housing, at least one first connection device and at least one second connection device, wherein the first and second connection devices, via the desiccant container, are connectable during at least one load phase and/or during at least one regeneration phase of the air dryer device; at least one regeneration conduit for connecting the first connection device with the second connection device during the regeneration phase; and at least one first control valve arranged and configured for opening or closing the regeneration conduit.

16. The air dryer device according to claim 15, wherein the first control valve is formed by at least one first check valve.

17. The air dryer device according to claim 16, wherein the housing further comprises: at least one second check valve arranged and configured for opening or closing the regeneration conduit.

18. The air dryer device according to claim 17, wherein the housing further comprises: at least one third check valve arranged and configured for opening or closing the regeneration conduit.

19. The air dryer device according to claim 18, wherein the first check valve, the second check valve and/or the third check valve are arranged at the housing socket.

20. The air dryer device according to claim 16, wherein the first check valve, a second check valve and/or a third check valve are arranged at the housing socket.

21. The air dryer device according to claim 17, wherein the first check valve, the second check valve and/or a third check valve are arranged at the housing socket.

22. The air dryer device according to claim 19, wherein the first check valve, the second check valve, and the third check valve are radially symmetrically or radially asymmetrically arranged with regard to a longitudinal axis of the air dryer device.

23. The air dryer device according to claim 16, wherein the first check valve is formed by at least one valve housing portion of the housing and by at least one valve body of the first check valve.

24. The air dryer device according to claim 23, wherein the valve body comprises at least one membrane portion with at least one radial sealing lip and/or comprises at least one axial sealing portion.

25. The air dryer device according to claim 23, wherein the valve body comprises at least one elastically compressible and expandable fixing portion.

26. The air dryer device according to claim 23, wherein the valve body is formed as an integral elastic valve body.

27. The air dryer device according to claim 17, wherein the second check valve is formed in the same manner as the first check valve.

28. The air dryer device according to claim 18, wherein the third check valve is formed in the same manner as the first check valve.

29. The air dryer device according to claim 15, wherein the air dryer device is formed as an air dryer cartridge.

30. An air treatment device for a vehicle comprising at least one air dryer device according to claim 15.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic bottom view of an embodiment of an air dryer device according to the invention for an air treatment device of a vehicle; and

[0031] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a control valve according to the invention of the air dryer device according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic bottom view of an embodiment of an air dryer device 10 for an air treatment device for a utility vehicle (both not shown in FIG. 1).

[0033] The air dryer device 10 is formed as an air dryer cartridge.

[0034] The air dryer device 10 comprises a housing 12 forming an accommodation chamber for accommodating at least one desiccant container 14.

[0035] The housing 12 further comprises a housing socket 12a, which is arranged, in a mounted state, at a bottom region 12b of the housing 12.

[0036] The housing socket 12a comprises a circular housing plate 12c with a plurality of star-shaped and radially symmetrically orientated rip sections 12d with respect to a longitudinal axis of the air dryer housing 12.

[0037] According to FIG. 1, the housing socket 12a further comprises a first connection device 16 for connecting the air dryer device 10 to a compressor (not shown).

[0038] The housing socket 12a also comprises a second connection device 18 for connecting the air dryer device 10 to at least one control valve device.

[0039] The control valve device may be formed as a part of an air treatment device also comprising a multi circuit-protection valve device

[0040] This control valve device may also be connected to the first connection device 16 in order to connect it to the compressor.

[0041] The first connection device 16 is formed by a central circular hollow cylinder 16a protruding from the housing socket 12a in a direction opposite to the desiccant container 14.

[0042] The second connection device 18 is formed by a corresponding housing connection portion 18a, radially arranged around the first connection device 16 which connects an annular space around the central circular hollow cylinder 16a with the desiccant container 14 via an annular load connection conduit (not shown) extending radially outwards with regard to the desiccant container 14.

[0043] Thus, the first and second connection device 16, 18, in the mounted state, are connectable to each other, via the desiccant container 14, during a load phase or during a regeneration phase of the air dryer device 10.

[0044] Additionally, the housing 12 comprises a regeneration conduit device 12e for connecting the first connection device 16 with the second connection device 18 during the regeneration phase.

[0045] The housing 12 also comprises a first control valve 20 formed as a check valve 20a for opening or closing the regeneration conduit device 12e.

[0046] According to FIG. 1, the first check valve 20a is arranged at the housing socket 12a.

[0047] The first check valve 20a is arranged at a region of the housing socket 12a where the regeneration conduit device 12e enters the housing socket 12a.

[0048] The regeneration conduit device 12e extends between the housing socket 12a and the desiccant container 14 for connecting the desiccant container 14 with the second connection device 18 during the regeneration phase.

[0049] According to FIG. 1, the housing 12 comprises a second check valve 20b for opening or closing the regeneration conduit device 12e.

[0050] Like the first check valve 20a, the second check valve 20b is arranged at the housing socket 12a as well.

[0051] The second check valve 20a is also arranged at a region of the housing socket 12a where the regeneration conduit device 12e enters the housing socket 12a.

[0052] Additionally, the housing 12 comprises a third check valve 20c for opening or closing the regeneration conduit device 12e.

[0053] Like the first and second check valves 20a, 20b, the third check valve 20c is arranged at the housing socket 12a as well.

[0054] The third check valve 20a is also arranged at a region of the housing socket 12a where the regeneration conduit device 12e enters the housing socket 12a.

[0055] It is also conceivable that more or less (e.g. two or even one check valve) than three check valves 20a, 20b, 20c (four, fixe, six, seven, eight etc.) may be arranged at the housing socket 12a according to the above-mentioned manner.

[0056] From what has been said before, it follows that the regeneration conduit device 12e comprises, according to FIG. 1, three regeneration conduit sections, each associated to one check valve 20a, 20b, 20c and each extending between the housing socket 12a and the desiccant container 14 for connecting the desiccant container 14 with the second connection device 18 during the regeneration phase.

[0057] Each regeneration conduit section enters the housing socket 12a at each region, where the first, second and third check valve 20a, 20b, 20c is arranged, respectively.

[0058] As can be further depicted from FIG. 1, the first check valve, the second check valve, and the third check valve 20a, 20b, 20c are radially symmetrically arranged with regard to a longitudinal axis of the air dryer device 10.

[0059] Alternatively, the first check valve, the second check valve, and the third check valve 20a, 20b, 20c may be arranged radially asymmetrically with regard to the longitudinal axis of the air dryer device 10.

[0060] The function of the air dryer device as mentioned above is as follows:

[0061] According to a load phase, pressurized air is supplied from an external compressor to the second connection device 18 and enters the second connection device 18 and flows then through the socket 12a.

[0062] The air then flows radially outwards of the desiccant container 14 to the top of the housing 12 where the pressurized air changes its flow direction in order to enter the desiccant container 14 at its top region.

[0063] In the mounted state, the air dryer device 10 is fixed on a control valve unit of an air treatment device for controlling the load and regeneration phases of the air dryer device 10.

[0064] This control unit comprises at least two ports or connections corresponding with the first and second connection device 16, 18 of the air dryer device 10.

[0065] To this end, a proper seal between these two connection devices 16, 18 is set up in order to avoid a direct flow path from the first to the second connection device 16, 18.

[0066] Consequently, the pressurized air then flows through the desiccant container 14 (for drying) and enters the first connection device 16 and then leaves the air dryer device 10 and flows into the control valve unit from where the pressurized air is transmitted to an multi circuit-protection valve for example.

[0067] According to a regeneration phase, the pressurized regeneration air flows according to an opposite manner according to the load phase.

[0068] Thus, pressurized regeneration air is supplied (e.g. from a regeneration container via the control valve unit) to the first connection device 16, enters it, and flows through the desiccant container 14 (for regeneration of the desiccant).

[0069] The air then leaves the desiccant container 14, enters the regeneration conduit device 12e and is then fed to the check valves 20a, 20b, 20c and pass through them as they were opened by the regeneration air, entering the second connection device 18 and flowing to the atmosphere afterwards.

[0070] According to the invention, the air treatment device for a utility vehicle as mentioned above with at least one air dryer device 10 is also provided.

[0071] The air treatment device is set up with the air dryer device 10, a control valve unit for controlling the operation of the air dryer unit (e.g. regeneration and load phases) and with a multi circuit-protection valve unit.

[0072] Other units or modules like a parking brake unit, a trailer control valve unit and/or service brake unit may also be integrated in the air treatment device.

[0073] The arrows and/or arrow parts according to FIG. 1 that are not associated with a reference sign do not have any contribution to the subject-matter of the air dryer device 10 and the air treatment device according to the present invention, respectively.

[0074] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of a check valve 20a, 20b, 20c according to the invention of the air dryer device 10 according to FIG. 1.

[0075] According to FIG. 2, the first check valve 20a is exemplarily shown, wherein the following structural and functional description of the first check valve 20a and its associated technical teachings do also apply for the second and third check valve 20b, 20c according to FIG. 1.

[0076] Consequently, the second and third check valve 20b, 20c are formed in the same manner as the first check valve 20a, respectively.

[0077] According to FIG. 2, the first check valve 20a comprises by a valve body 22.

[0078] The valve body 22 is formed as an elastic integral valve body.

[0079] Especially, the valve body 22 may be formed as an elastic integral rubber valve body.

[0080] The first check valve 20a is also formed by a valve housing portion 24 that is integrally formed with the housing socket 12a of the air dryer housing 12.

[0081] The housing portion 24 comprises a valve inlet 24a that is connected to the regeneration conduit device 12e.

[0082] Accordingly, the housing portion 24 comprises a valve outlet 24b that is connected to the second connection device 18.

[0083] The housing portion 24 is formed as a circular hollow cylinder and protrudes from the housing socket 12a in a direction opposite to the desiccant container 14 (see FIG. 1).

[0084] The housing portion 24 further comprises a centrally arranged mounting region for fixing the valve body 22 inside the housing portion 24.

[0085] An inner surface 24c of the housing portion 24 is formed as circular cylindric sealing face.

[0086] The valve body 22 comprises a membrane portion 22a divided into an even inner portion 22b and an inclined outer portion 22c.

[0087] At a transition portion 22d between the even inner portion 22b and the inclined outer portion 22c, there is arranged an inclined stiffening portion with a bigger cross section.

[0088] At the radial outermost face of the inclined outer portion 22c, a radial sealing lip 22e is arranged which stays, in the mounted state, in sealed contact with the inner surface 24c of the housing portion 24.

[0089] Alternatively or additionally, the valve body 22 may comprise an axial sealing portion (not shown).

[0090] It is also conceivable that the axial sealing portion is integrated into the radial sealing lip 22e.

[0091] Alternatively, the axial sealing portion may be formed as an individual portion of the valve body 22.

[0092] The valve body 22 further comprises an elastically compressible and expandable fixing portion 22f that is formed as a hollow cylindric fixing pin.

[0093] The valve body 22 also comprises axial inner fixing faces staying in contact with corresponding wall faces of the mounting region.

[0094] The axial inner fixing faces are formed by the even inner portion 22b of the valve body 22 and a fixing cap 22g that is arranged at an axial end of the fixing pin being opposite to the even inner portion 22b of the valve body 22.

[0095] The fixing cap 22g further comprises two lead-in chamfers in order to mount the valve body properly and merely by pushing it into the mounting hole of the mounting region in a mounting direction at which the two lead-in chamfers are in front.

[0096] The arrows and/or arrow parts according to FIG. 2 that are not associated with a reference sign do not have any contribution to the subject-matter of the air dryer device 10 and the air treatment device according to the present invention, respectively.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0097] 10 air dryer device [0098] 12 air dryer housing [0099] 12a housing socket [0100] 12b bottom region [0101] 12c circular housing plate [0102] 12d radially symmetrically orientated rip sections [0103] 12e regeneration conduit device [0104] 14 desiccant container [0105] 16 first connection device [0106] 16a central circular hollow cylinder [0107] 18 second connection device [0108] 18a housing connection portion [0109] 20 first control valve [0110] 20a first check valve [0111] 20b second check valve [0112] 20c third check valve [0113] 22 valve body [0114] 22a membrane portion [0115] 22b even inner portion [0116] 22c inclined outer portion [0117] 22d transition portion [0118] 22e radial sealing lip [0119] 22f compressible and expandable fixing portion [0120] 22g fixing cap [0121] 24 valve housing portion [0122] 24a valve inlet [0123] 24b valve outlet [0124] 24c inner surface