Abstract
A temperature-control device for cooling or heating a heat exchanger fluid is disclosed. The device may have a base plate and a heat exchanger element. The base plate may have at least one throughflow opening as an inlet or outlet for the heat exchanger fluid. Furthermore, the temperature-control device may have a spring element which has a spring plate and a retaining region for the spring plate, which retaining region is connected to the spring plate and surrounds the latter at least in some regions. A spring plate seat for abutment for the spring plate may be included, and optionally a receiving region for receiving the spring element in and/or adjacent to the base plate. The spring plate, in a projection of the spring plate perpendicular to the areal extent thereof, is arranged within the throughflow opening.
Claims
1-24. (canceled)
25. A temperature-control device for cooling or heating a heat exchanger fluid, comprising: a base plate and a heat exchanger element, wherein the base plate has at least one throughflow opening as an inlet or outlet for the heat exchanger fluid, a spring element which has a spring plate and a retaining region for the spring plate, which retaining region is connected to the spring plate and surrounds the latter at least in some regions; a spring plate seat for abutment for the spring plate, and optionally a receiving region for receiving the spring element in and/or adjacent to the base plate, wherein the spring plate, in a projection of the spring plate perpendicular to the areal extent thereof, is arranged within the throughflow opening.
26. The temperature-control device according to claim 25, wherein the temperature-control device has at least one connecting piece, the opening cross-section of which is arranged so as to overlap with the opening cross-section of the throughflow opening, wherein the connecting piece, at one end, is connected to the base plate or engages through the base plate.
27. The temperature-control device according to claim 26, wherein the spring element in some sections adjoins the base plate and at least in some sections is arranged within the region delimited by the connecting piece, and/or a connecting region of the spring element is connected in a materially bonded, form-fitting and/or force-fitting manner to at least the base plate, optionally to the connecting piece, to a further layer and/or to a counterpart component.
28. The temperature-control device according to claim 25, wherein the spring plate seat for abutment for the spring plate is configured as part of the spring element, of the base plate, of an additional layer, of a further functional element, of a connecting piece and/or of a counterpart component.
29. The temperature-control device according to claim 28, wherein a through-opening arranged in the throughflow opening, wherein the spring plate seat is arranged so as to run around the through-opening.
30. The temperature-control device according to claim 25, wherein the spring plate seat has an elevation element on which the spring plate rests in some regions or around its outer circumferential edge in the state in which no pressure is applied.
31. The temperature-control device according to claim 30, wherein the elevation element on the surface of the spring plate runs around the through-opening.
32. The temperature-control device according to claim 25, wherein a first functional layer, comprising a sealing layer, which is arranged adjacent to the surface of the base plate and has a through-opening which is arranged so as to overlap with the throughflow opening.
33. The temperature-control device according to claim 26, wherein the spring plate and the retaining region and optionally the connecting region are formed integrally as part of a spring layer or of a further layer arranged adjacent to the base plate.
34. The temperature-control device according to claim 27, wherein the connecting region and/or the retaining region is arranged and/or fastened between the base plate and the optionally provided first functional layer, a further layer, the connecting piece and/or a counterpart component.
35. The temperature-control device according to claim 27, wherein the connecting region and/or the retaining region, at least in some regions, is configured to run around and adjacent to the throughflow opening.
36. The temperature-control device according to claim 35, wherein the abutment region is configured as a first recess in the base plate, in an additional layer or in a counterpart component, which recess runs around the circumferential edge of the throughflow opening at least in some sections and is set back in a step-like manner from the surface of the base plate, of the additional layer or of the counterpart component around the circumferential edge of the throughflow opening.
37. The temperature-control device according to claim 36, wherein the spring plate is pre-shaped with respect to the connecting region and/or the retaining region such that it rests on the elevation element in the state in which no pressure is applied.
38. The temperature-control device according to claim 37, wherein the spring plate, in the state in which no pressure is applied, is offset, preferably is offset by at least 0.4 mm, relative to the plane in which the connecting region and/or the retaining region extends.
39. The temperature-control device according to claim 27, wherein the spring plate is integrally connected to the connecting region and/or the retaining region via one retaining arm, two retaining arms, three retaining arms, four retaining arms or more than four retaining arms, wherein the at least one retaining arm may be branched.
40. The temperature-control device according to claim 39, wherein the retaining arms are configured as spiral-shaped retaining arms which extend between the inner circumferential edge of the connecting region or of the retaining region and the outer circumferential edge of the spring plate, optionally also around one of the circumferential edges.
41. The temperature-control device according to claim 36, wherein the spring element, one of the layers, the base plate or a counterpart component has at least one travel-limiting element for limiting the travel of the spring plate in one or both directions perpendicular to the areal extent of the spring plate.
42. The temperature-control device according to claim 41, wherein the travel-limiting element is formed integrally with the spring element.
42. The temperature-control device according to claim 42, wherein the travel-limiting element is formed by at least one simply formed web, arm or region of the spring element, and the parallel projection of which in the direction of the lifting direction of the spring plate is arranged so as to overlap with the spring plate.
Description
[0056] In the figures:
[0057] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a temperature-control device according to the invention, with a spring layer between the base plate and the functional layer;
[0058] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through a further temperature-control device according to the invention, without a spring layer, when the connecting region of the spring element is fastened between the base plate and the functional layer;
[0059] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through a further temperature-control device according to the invention, without a spring layer, when the connecting region of the spring element is fastened between two layers or plates;
[0060] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through a further temperature-control device according to the invention, without a spring layer, when the connecting region of the spring element is fastened in the base plate;
[0061] FIG. 5 shows a cross-section through a further temperature-control device according to the invention, without a spring layer, when the connecting region of the spring element is fastened in the base plate;
[0062] FIG. 6 shows a cross-section through a further temperature-control device according to the invention, with a spring layer between the base plate and the functional layer;
[0063] FIG. 7 shows a cross-section through a further temperature-control device according to the invention, without a spring layer, when the connecting region of the spring element is fastened between a functional layer and a connecting piece;
[0064] FIG. 8 shows a cross-section through a further temperature-control device according to the invention, with a spring layer between the base plate and the functional layer;
[0065] FIG. 9 shows an oblique view of a spring element with a lift-limiting means for use in a temperature-control device according to the invention;
[0066] FIG. 10 shows four plan views of lift-limiting elements for use in a temperature-control device according to the invention;
[0067] FIG. 11 shows six plan views of spring elements for use in a temperature-control device according to the invention; and
[0068] FIG. 12 shows six cross-sections of elevation elements for use in a temperature-control device according to the invention.
[0069] FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a temperature-control device 1, wherein the cross-section shows in particular the region of a throughflow opening 2 and the spring element 100 located therein in the closed state. Shown here is a spring element 100 which is configured as part of a spring layer 145. The spring element 100 comprises a plate-shaped spring plate 110, a retaining region 120, a deflection region 130 and a connecting region 130, all of which are integrally connected to one another, that is to say are integrally formed from the spring layer 145. At its outer circumferential region, the spring plate 110 is connected to the retaining region 120. To this end, retaining arms 125 are arranged radially on the spring plate 110, said retaining arms acting as compression springs. Sections 120a, 120b, 120c represent the cross-section through the retaining arms 125. Through-openings 124 are formed between the retaining arms 125.
[0070] At its region facing away from the spring plate 110, the retaining region 120 is connected to the deflection region 130. The deflection region 130 is bent at two points 132a, 132b, resulting in an angled shape of the deflection region 130. Due to the double bend in the deflection region 130, the connecting region 130 runs parallel to and offset from the areal extent of the spring plate 110. A through-opening 131 for the passage of heat exchanger fluid, in particular oil, is formed in the angled region 130b of the deflection region 130. Therefore, in the open state of the valve, the heat exchanger fluid can flow through the through-opening 131 or through the region between the retaining arms 125, 120a, 120b, 120c. At the horizontal boundary of FIG. 1, the connecting region 130 continues into the spring layer 145, which forms the spring element. The different regions of the spring layer 145 are additionally indicated by the various brackets at the top edge of the diagram.
[0071] In the cross-section, a functional layer 300 is arranged below the layer 145 of the spring element 100, said functional layer having a similar material thickness to the material of the spring element 100 and of the spring layer 145. The functional layer 300 has a through-opening 320, which is arranged within the throughflow opening 2 or the opening cross-section of which is located within the opening cross-section of the throughflow opening, the rotation axes of the openings running coaxially. The diameter of the through-opening 320 is approximately five times smaller than the diameter of the throughflow opening 2. The spring layer 145 rests with its connecting region 130 on the functional layer 300.
[0072] The functional layer 300 has a sealing bead 315 running around the through-opening 320, the bead top 302 of said bead pointing in the direction of the spring plate 110.
[0073] The sealing bead 315 is an elevation element 310 which, together with the plastic deformation of the retaining arms 125, ensures the preloading of the spring plate. The interaction thereof exerts a preload on the spring plate 110 in the direction of the sealing bead 315, so that a specific pressure difference is necessary in order to lift the spring plate 110 away from the bead 315. Here, said bead simultaneously forms the spring plate seat 340. The sealing bead 315, together with the spring plate, also forms a sealing line in the closed state of the valve. The sealing bead 315 has a narrowing of the material thickness on its flank, so that it is not formed as an exclusively elastic sealing bead.
[0074] In the cross-section, the base plate 200 is shown above the layer 145 of the spring element 100. The circumferential wall 280 of the base plate 200 adjacent to the throughflow opening 2 delimits the throughflow opening 2 and defines the diameter thereof. The spring layer 145 with the spring element 100 is held between the base plate 200 and the functional layer 300 and thus fixes the spring element 100 in position. Typical thicknesses of the base plate can be between 0.15 mm and 8 mm. Preferred thicknesses are 0.5 mm to 4 mm, particularly preferably 0.8 mm to 1.8 mm, in each case including or excluding the stated threshold values. A section of a first heat exchanger element 800 having an inlet opening 820 is shown above the base plate 200.
[0075] FIG. 2 shows the cross-section through a further temperature-control device 1 according to the invention, in a similar illustration to FIG. 1. Particularly with regard to its opening and closing characteristic, the spring element 100 here is configured substantially the same as in the preceding embodiment. However, in contrast to FIG. 1, the spring element 100 in FIG. 2 is not an integral part of a spring layer 145 but rather is configured as a separate spring element. The functional element 100 thus has a limited diameter, which is defined by the outer circumferential region 150 of the connecting region 130.
[0076] For form-fitting connection to the connecting region 130 of the spring element 100, the base plate 200 has a cutout or recess 220, into which an outer section of the connecting region 130 of the spring element 100 is introduced. In addition, at the radially outer edge of the cutout 220 in the region of its surface facing towards the functional layer 300, the base plate is deformed at least in some sections by the outer section of the connecting region 130 so as to form a material bulge 221. The form fit is thus achieved by the recess 220 and the material bulge 221. An adjacent heat exchanger element has not been shown in FIG. 2.
[0077] FIG. 3 shows the cross-section through a further temperature-control device 1 according to the invention. Here, too, the spring element 100 is not contained in a layer but rather is configured as a separate spring element 100. In contrast to the preceding embodiments, however, there is no bent or angled deflection region 130 between the retaining region 120 and the connecting region 130 of the spring element 100, so that, in the illustrated state in which no pressure is applied, only the retaining region 120 or the retaining arms 125 have a plastic deformation and rest on the elevation element 310 in a preloaded manner.
[0078] Once again, the connecting region 130 is fastened in a recess 220a in the base plate 200 in a form-fitting manner. However, the recess 220a of the base plate 200 in this embodiment is not arranged on the side 201 of the functional layer 300 and adjacent thereto, but rather is arranged on the side 202 of the base plate 200 opposite to the functional layer 300, adjacent to the component 400. The form fit is therefore achieved by the recess 220a and the further component 400 arranged adjacent thereto. In addition, two further components 500, 600 are shown in FIG. 3, which are located above the component 400 in the cross-section. The components 400, 500 and 600 are part of a heat exchanger element 800 having an inlet region 820.
[0079] FIG. 4 shows the cross-section through a further temperature-control device 1 according to the invention, in a similar illustration to FIG. 3. The temperature-control device 1 is similar to the variant in FIG. 3, but the fastening of the connecting region 130 differs once again. In this embodiment, a recess 220b is likewise provided in the base plate 200. However, no further component and no further layer is arranged adjacent to and above the recess 220b. To achieve a form-fitting connection of the connecting region 130 in the recess 220b, therefore, a material bulge 221 is formed on the upper surface 202 of the base plate 200 in a manner similar to the variant in FIG. 2, said material bead surrounding the connecting region 130 in order to form a form-fitting connection from the upper side 202 of the base plate 200. Part of the side 135 of the connecting region 130 facing away from the spring plate 110 is thus formed immediately adjacent to the material bulge 221 and is surrounded by the latter; part of the surface 136 of the connecting region 130 facing towards the spring plate 110 is immediately adjacent to and surrounded by a flank 220b of the recess 220b. Components 400, 500, 600 and 800 are configured as in FIG. 3.
[0080] In FIG. 5, the spring element 100 and the components 400, 500, 600 and 800 are configured as in the preceding exemplary embodiment. The form-fitting connection of the connecting region 130 of the spring element 100 to the base plate 200 is also substantially the same as in the preceding exemplary embodiment. However, the base plate 200 does not only have embossments on its upper surface 202 in the region adjacent to the outer circumferential edge 150. Instead, the region adjacent to the throughflow opening 2 is also formed with a particular surface topography. Adjoining the flank 220c of the recess 220c, the surface runs downwards in an arc-shaped manner and forms a wide depression 213. Adjoining this towards the throughflow opening 2 is a rising region which forms an elevation element 210 and a spring plate seat 240 for the spring plate 110. The throughflow opening 2 in the base plate 200 extends on both sides of the spring plate 110.
[0081] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary embodiment of a temperature-control device 1 in which the spring element 110 is an integral part of a spring layer 145, as in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1. The spring layer 145 is once again received with its connecting region 130 between a functional layer 300 and the base plate 200. However, the retaining arms 125 here are not plastically pre-deformed, but rather are preloaded via a bead 115 in the spring layer 145 itself. The bead 115 forms an elevation element 141 and at the same time a spring plate seat 140. The spring plate seat 140 acts here with the region of the functional layer 300 facing towards the inner edge, said region likewise acting as a spring plate seat 340. The two spring plate seats 140, 340 thus form a sealing line. The heat exchanger element is not shown here.
[0082] FIG. 7 shows an exemplary embodiment of a temperature-control device 1 in which the spring element 100, as in FIG. 2, is formed with a spring plate 110, a plastically pre-deformed retaining region 120, a deflection region 130 and a connecting region 130. The spring element 110 once again rests on a functional layer 300 and is preloaded via a bead 315, which at the same time forms the elevation element 310 and the spring plate seat 340. The exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7 differs from the other exemplary embodiments shown in that a connecting piece 700 is attached to the functional layer 300 which is arranged on the outwardly pointing surface 201 of the base plate 200, said connecting piece being connected to the base plate 200 via a circumferential weld seam 799 on the functional layer 300 and through the latter. This makes it possible for the connecting region 130 in this case to be received not in a cutout of the base plate 200 but rather in a cutout 720 at the end of the connecting piece pointing towards the base plate 200. At the free end 790 of the connecting piece 700, an oil-conveying hose for example can be pushed onto the connecting piece 700 or onto the free end 790 thereof.
[0083] In FIG. 8, the spring element 100 is once again an integral part of a spring layer 145. Similarly to FIG. 6, the spring layer is arranged between a functional layer 300 and a base plate 200, and the retaining region 120 is only elastically preloaded. However, the bead 315 forming the elevation element 310 is now formed in the functional layer 300 and also forms the spring plate seat 340 at the same time. Adjacent to the surface 202 of the base plate 200 pointing away from the spring element 100, said base plate has a lift-limiting element 290 which prevents excessive lifting of the spring plate 110 away from the spring plate seat 340 and thus prevents undesirable plastic deformation of the retaining region 120. The lift-limiting element 290 may be configured as a circumferential protrusion or may consist of at least one protrusion which protrudes from an edge region of the wall 280.
[0084] FIG. 9 shows a spring element 100 which, in the form shown, is independent of a spring layer 145. However, a comparable spring element 100 can also be formed in a spring layer 145. This spring element 100 is characterized in that arc-shaped lift-limiting elements 190 are formed from the sheet material of the spring element in the immediate vicinity of the retaining arms 125 and at only a slight distance therefrom. Said lift-limiting elements are cut free at their two longitudinal edges 198, 199 but are still connected to the sheet layer at their two short edges 194, 195. At the two edges 192, 193, they are bent out of the plane of the sheet layer, expose a through-opening 191 and continue to bend along their further contour so that their central region 197 is rotated through approximately 180 compared to the contour of the sheet strip in the region of the connecting edges 194, 195, and thus forms a planar abutment as a lift-limiting element 190 for a spring plate 110.
[0085] FIG. 10 shows different embodiments in respect of a layer 80 of the temperature-control device 1 with lift-limiting elements 90. Such a lift-limiting element 90 can be formed in different layers, and therefore these are not shown in detail here.
[0086] In FIG. 10a, a lift-limiting element 90 is integrally connected to a retaining region of the layer 80 via retaining arms 84a to 84d. The retaining arms are arranged in each case in a manner offset by 90 to one another. They leave a total of four through-regions 82a to 82d therebetween.
[0087] FIG. 10b shows a modification of the arrangement of FIG. 10a. The lift-limiting element 90 has in the centre an additional through-opening 82z, which can be closed by a spring plate bearing against it.
[0088] FIG. 10c shows a further lift-limiting element 90, which has through two intersecting webs consisting of partial arms 84b and 84d, and 84a and 84c. Said webs meet in the middle and form the lift-limiting element 90.
[0089] FIG. 10d shows a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 10c. It is now no longer four arms that are used, which together form two webs spanning the throughflow opening, but rather just three arms 84a to 84c, which meet in the middle of the through-opening and thus form a star-shaped lift-limiting element 90.
[0090] As shown in FIG. 6, analogous lift-limiting elements can also be formed in the spring plate 110 itself; they are denoted 140 and 141 therein, since they simultaneously assume the function of the spring plate seat and elevation element.
[0091] FIGS. 11a to 11f show different embodiments in respect of the spring layer 145 and the spring element 100. The individual embodiments in FIGS. 11a to 11f differ essentially by the design of the retaining arms 125. In FIG. 11a, these are arranged concentrically in a spiral shape. In FIG. 11b, the retaining arms 125 are likewise arranged concentrically in a spiral shape, but are wider than the retaining arms 125 in FIG. 11a and also have kinks or other pre-deformations 125a, 125a which influence the spring behaviour and thus the opening behaviour. FIG. 11c shows concentric retaining arms, wherein in each case successive retaining arms 125 are connected to one another at two opposite points. For connection points arranged successively in the radial direction, the connection points are in each case offset by 90 to one another.
[0092] FIG. 11d likewise shows retaining arms 125 which run concentrically, said retaining arms having a particular shape so that the fluid passage area remaining between the retaining arms 125 is sufficiently large.
[0093] FIG. 11e shows retaining arms 125 similar to those in FIG. 11d, but the number thereof is greater and in addition the retaining arms are branched.
[0094] FIG. 11f also shows concentric, branched retaining arms 125, which in each case leave sickle-shaped throughflow regions 124 therebetween for the fluid.
[0095] FIG. 12 shows six exemplary embodiments 12a to 12f in respect of spring plate seats and elevation elements 310a to 310f as an elevation element or sealing element for the spring plate 110, in each case in a sectional view of a section through the respective circumferential abutment element and/or sealing element 310, wherein the through-opening 320 adjoins the illustrated section to the right in each case. The reference sign 340, which is otherwise used for a spring plate seat in the functional layer 300, is not indicated separately, but the elements 310a to 3101 also provide this function.
[0096] FIG. 12a shows a bead 310a as is already formed in the functional layer 300 in the preceding exemplary embodiments of the temperature-control device 1. The bead has two rising flank regions 303 between two bead bottoms 301, and a bead top 302. The material thickness is, perpendicular to the neutral axis of the sheet metal, more than 25% smaller in the region of the bead flanks than the material thickness in the region of the bead top, which substantially corresponds to the material thickness in the region of the bead bottoms: D.sub.F<0.75 D.sub.max. This narrowing of the flank increases the rigidity of the bead, which brings about a particularly good sealing effect and reliable preloading of the spring plate, particularly also in the region above and/or below channels.
[0097] FIG. 12b shows a half-bead 310b as an elevation and/or sealing element 310. This half-bead has a rising region 312 between two kink points 311, 313.
[0098] FIG. 12c shows a flanged elevation and/or sealing element 310c. For this, the edge region 322, that is to say the free end of the layer 300, is folded back onto the region 321. This forms a new, bent edge 323. Depending on the extent of the fold, a free space 324 may remain between the flanged region 322 and the adjacent region 321. The flanged elevation and/or sealing element 310c already has, per se, sufficient rigidity to bridge channels. To increase this rigidity further, the flanged region 322 may be narrowed so that D.sub.B<D.sub.L.
[0099] While the embodiments of FIGS. 12a to 12c form the elevation and/or sealing element 310 from the material of the layer 300 itself, FIGS. 12d to 12f show embodiments in which an additional element forms the elevation and/or sealing element 310. This is an annularly running elastic element (FIGS. 12d and 12e) or an annularly running metal element (FIG. 12f).
[0100] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12d, an elastic element 334 is applied as an elevation and/or sealing element 310d to the edge 333 pointing towards the through-opening 320, which elastic element extends from the upper side 331 of the functional layer 300, over the side edge 333, to the lower side 332 and thus forms an elevation beyond the upper and lower sides 331, 332. In contrast, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12e, the elastic element 344 extends only on the upper side 341 of the functional layer 300 that faces towards the spring layer 300 in the installed situation; the side edge 343 and the lower side 342 remain free.
[0101] Finally, in FIG. 12f, a metal ring 352 is applied to the surface 351 of the functional layer 300, the edge 354 of said ring terminating flush with the edge 353. The thickness of the ring 352 and of the functional layer 300 is in this case substantially identical, but can also be selected to be different. Likewise, identical metal sheets or sheets made of different metals can be used. Preferably, the ring 352 is fastened to the functional layer 300, in particular is fastened thereto in a materially bonded manner and preferably is welded to the functional layer 300.
