ACTUATOR HOUSING FOR A COOLANT CIRCUIT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

An actuator housing for a valve apparatus for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle includes an actuator housing part for receiving at least one actuator component. The actuator housing also includes a valve housing part for at least partially limiting and hydraulically sealing a region of a valve device to be hydraulically sealed.

Claims

1. An actuator housing for a valve apparatus for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, comprising: an actuator housing part for receiving at least one actuator component, a valve housing part for at least partially limiting and hydraulically sealing a region of a valve device to be hydraulically sealed.

2. The actuator housing according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing part comprises a first connecting surface for connecting with a valve device.

3. The actuator housing (1) according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing part is at least a partial region of a valve housing and/or a valve seat and/or a fluid port.

4. The actuator housing according to claim 1, wherein the region of a valve device to be hydraulically sealed is at least a partial region of a valve housing and/or a valve seat and/or a fluid port (7).

5. The actuator housing according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing part is connectable in a hydraulically sealing manner to the region of a valve device to be hydraulically sealed by means of a positively locking and/or a non-positively locking and/or a materially locking connection.

6. The actuator housing according to claim 1, wherein the actuator component is an actuating drive and/or a transmission (5) arranged in the actuator housing (1), wherein a connecting device is provided for connecting the actuator component to an actuating element (13) of a shut-off body (12) of a valve device (10) in a positively and/or non-positively locking manner, wherein the actuating element (13) is a shaft.

7. The actuator housing according to claim 1, wherein a through-opening for passing an actuating element of at least one shut-off body of the valve apparatus is provided between the actuator housing part and the valve housing part in order to connect the actuating element to an actuator.

8. A valve apparatus for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, comprising: a valve device having at least one shut-off body and at least two fluid ports, and an actuator housing according to claim 1, wherein a valve housing part of the actuator housing is connected by a first connecting surface in a hydraulically sealing manner to a second connecting surface of a region of the valve device to be hydraulically sealed.

9. The valve apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the valve apparatus is a thermostat ball valve of a cooling fluid circuit of a motor vehicle.

10. A method for manufacturing a valve apparatus for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, wherein a valve housing part of an actuator housing according to claim 1 is connected in a hydraulically sealing manner to a region of a valve device to be hydraulically sealed, such that a fluid port and/or a valve seat is formed by connecting the valve housing part to the valve device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] The present invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures. The figures show:

[0056] FIG. 1 is a laterally cut, regional view of an actuator housing according to the invention and a valve device of a valve apparatus,

[0057] FIG. 2 is a further laterally cut view of the actuator housing of the valve apparatus,

[0058] FIG. 3 is a further laterally cut view of the actuator housing, and

[0059] FIG. 4 is a further laterally cut view of the actuator housing and the valve device of the valve apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] In the following, an actuator housing 1 for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle and a valve apparatus 2 for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle having such an actuator housing are described on the basis of an exemplary embodiment (FIGS. 1 to 4).

[0061] In this exemplary embodiment, the present invention is provided in a thermostat valve 10 of a cooling fluid circuit of a motor vehicle, wherein the thermostat valve is configured as a ball valve.

[0062] The actuator housing 1 comprises an actuator housing part 3 and a valve housing part 4.

[0063] According to the present exemplary embodiment, a drive or an actuating drive (not shown) is arranged in the actuator housing part 3 for actuating a valve device 5 of the valve apparatus 2.

[0064] Furthermore, the actuating drive is connected via a transmission 5 to corresponding transmission stages or gears 6, which are also arranged in the actuator housing part 3.

[0065] According to the present exemplary embodiment, the valve housing part 4 forms a fluid port 7 and a coolant inlet, respectively. The fluid port 7 with a corresponding through-opening is thus an integral component of the valve housing part 4 of the actuator housing 1. Additionally, and/or alternatively, the valve housing part can form, regionally or entirely, one or more of the actuator components described at the outset, such as a valve housing and/or one or more fluid ports 7 and/or a valve seat.

[0066] A first connecting surface 8 is also provided on the valve housing part 4, via which surface the actuator housing 1 can be connected to a correspondingly configured second connecting surface 9 of a valve device 10 of the valve apparatus 2.

[0067] The first connecting surface 8 is connected in a hydraulically sealing manner to the second connecting surface 9 by means of welding.

[0068] According to the present exemplary embodiment, the fluid port 7 opens into a valve seat 11 of the valve device 10, in which a shut-off body 12 and a closure element are arranged. The shut-off body is spherical or spherically segmented in configuration.

[0069] The shut-off body 12 can be actuated via a corresponding actuating element 13; in the present embodiment, a corresponding shaft.

[0070] The transmission 5 comprises a first connecting device 14, via which the actuating drive [is connectable] to the actuating element 13 of the valve device 10, which comprises a correspondingly configured connecting device 15, such that corresponding movements of the drive via the transmission 5 as well as the first and second connecting device 14, 15 are transferable to the actuating element 13 and thus to the shut-off body 12, in order to open or close the valve or actuate the shut-off body 12 accordingly in order to release or close the fluid port 7.

[0071] A through-opening for passing the actuating element 13 of the valve apparatus 2 is provided between the actuator housing part 3 and the valve housing part 4 in order to connect the actuating element 13 to an actuator or drive.

[0072] Accordingly, the valve apparatus 2 comprises the valve device 10 as well as the actuator housing 1 together with the components described above (at least one shut-off body 12 and at least two fluid ports 7).

[0073] The actuating drive and the transmission 5 as well as the gears 6 are referred to as actuator components.

[0074] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a method is provided for manufacturing a valve apparatus 2 for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, wherein a valve housing part 4 of an actuator housing 1 is connected in a hydraulically sealing manner via a first connecting surface 8 and a second connecting surface 9 to a region of the valve device 2 [sic: 10] to be hydraulically sealed.

[0075] By connecting the valve housing part to the valve device, one or more fluid ports 7 and/or one or more valve seats can be formed.

[0076] As already described above, the actuator housing 1 comprises a first connecting surface 8 via which the valve housing part is connected in a hydraulically sealing manner to a second connecting surface 9 of the valve device to be hydraulically sealed.

[0077] The actuator housing and/or the valve apparatus are manufactured from plastic by means of a single-component or multi-component injection molding process.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals  1 Actuator housing  2 Valve apparatus  3 Actuator housing part  4 Valve housing part  5 Transmission  6 Gear  7 Fluid port  8 First connecting surface  9 Second connecting surface 10 Valve device 11 Valve seat 12 Shut-off body 13 Actuating element 14 First connecting device 15 Second connecting device