Fluid Valve

Abstract

A fluid valve, in particular for a motor vehicle and/or a temperature control system, having a housing and a valve body disposed in the housing so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis. The housing has a first port and a third port disposed on opposite side of a normal plane in relation to the rotation axis and a second port which is radially spaced apart from the rotation axis and in the direction of the rotation axis is disposed between the first and the third port. The valve body in at least one rotary position connects at least two ports of the housing to one another, and in at least one other rotary position does not connect the two ports to one another.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A fluid valve, comprising: a valve body configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis; and a housing in which the valve body is at least partially disposed, and comprises: a first port disposed on a first side of a normal plane in relation to the rotation axis; a third port disposed on a second side of the normal plane in relation to the rotation axis opposite the first side; and a second port radially spaced apart from the rotation axis and in a direction of the rotation axis is disposed between the first port and the third port; wherein the valve body in at least one rotary position connects at least two ports of the housing to one another, and in at least one other rotary position does not connect the at least two ports to one another.

14. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein the housing further comprises: a fourth port which is radially spaced apart from the rotation axis and in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis is disposed: spaced apart from the first, the second and/or the third port and/or in the direction of the rotation axis between the first port and the third port; a fifth port which is radially spaced apart from the rotation axis and in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis is disposed: to be spaced apart from the first, the second, the third, and/or the fourth port and/or in the direction of the rotation axis between the first and the third port; and a sixth port which is radially spaced apart from the rotation axis and in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis is disposed: to be spaced apart from the first, the second, the third, the fourth, and/or the fifth port and/or in the direction of the rotation axis between the first and the third port.

15. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 14, wherein the housing comprise: at least one further port, radially spaced apart from the rotation axis; which in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis is spaced apart from the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and/or the sixth port; which in the direction of the rotation axis is disposed between the first and the third port; and/or the second port is disposed between the at least one further port and the first or the third port.

16. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein the valve body in at least one rotary position connects at least three ports of the housing to one another and in at least one other rotary position does not connect at least two of the at least three ports to one another.

17. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein the valve body in at least one rotary position connects at least one first group of ports of the housing to one another and connects at least one second group of ports of the housing to one another and not to the first group.

18. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein the valve body comprises: a first fluid passage which in at least one rotary position of the valve body connects a first group of ports of the housing to one another; and at least one further fluid passage which is separate from the first fluid passage and which in the and/or at least one other rotary position of the valve body connects a second group of ports of the housing to one another and not to the first group.

19. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first and/or the further fluid passage in a shell face of the valve body have at least two openings that in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis are spaced apart from one another, and/or in an end face of the valve body has at least one opening, in particular in end faces of the valve body has at least two openings that in the direction of the rotation axis are spaced apart from one another; at least two openings of the first fluid passage in a shell face of the valve body are radially dissimilarly spaced apart from the rotation axis; at least two openings of the further fluid passage in a shell face of the valve body are radially dissimilarly spaced apart from the rotation axis; at least one opening of the first fluid passage in a shell face of the valve body and at least one opening of the further fluid passage in a shell face of the valve body are radially dissimilarly spaced apart from the rotation axis; and/or the first and the further fluid passage in at least two different rotary positions of the valve body connects the same port to at least one port of the housing.

20. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 18, wherein in at least one rotary position of the valve body the second port by way of one of the fluid passage openings in a ring of the valve body is connected to at least one other port of the housing, and in at least one rotary position of the valve body the first or the third port by way of one of the fluid passage openings in a shank of the valve body is connected to at least one other port of the housing, the shank having a smaller diameter than the ring.

21. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, and/or at least one further port are/is a lateral or an axial port and/or has a tubular connector of the housing, in particular the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and/or the sixth and/or the further port are/is a lateral port and/or has a lateral tubular of the housing, and/or the first port is an axial port and/or has an axial tubular connector of the housing.

22. A temperature control system, in particular for a motor vehicle, having at least one fluid valve comprising: a valve body configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis; and a housing in which the valve body is at least partially disposed, and comprises: a first port disposed on a first side of a normal plane in relation to the rotation axis; a third port disposed on a second side of the normal plane in relation to the rotation axis opposite the first side; and a second port radially spaced apart from the rotation axis and in a direction of the rotation axis is disposed between the first port and the third port; wherein the valve body in at least one rotary position connects at least two ports of the housing to one another, and in at least one other rotary position does not connect the at least two ports to one another.

23. A motor vehicle having at least one fluid valve, in particular a temperature control system, comprising: a valve body configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis; and a housing in which the valve body is at least partially disposed, and comprises: a first port disposed on a first side of a normal plane in relation to the rotation axis; a third port disposed on a second side of the normal plane in relation to the rotation axis opposite the first side; and a second port radially spaced apart from the rotation axis and in a direction of the rotation axis is disposed between the first port and the third port; wherein the valve body in at least one rotary position connects at least two ports of the housing to one another, and in at least one other rotary position does not connect the at least two ports to one another.

24. A method for operating a fluid valve having: a valve body configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis; and a housing in which the valve body is at least partially disposed, and having: a first port disposed on a first side of a normal plane in relation to the rotation axis; a third port disposed on a second side of the normal plane in relation to the rotation axis opposite the first side; and a second port radially spaced apart from the rotation axis and in a direction of the rotation axis is disposed between the first port and the third port, comprising: connecting, by the valve body in at least one rotary position at least two ports of the housing to one another; and not connecting in at least one other rotary position the at least two ports to one another, comprising: adjusting the valve body in one operating state in a motorized and/or automated manner, to a first rotary position; and adjusting the valve body in at least one different operating state in a motorized and/or automated manner, to a second rotary position different than the first rotary position.

25. The fluid valve of claim 13, wherein the valve is configured for a motor vehicle and/or a temperature control system.

26. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein the valve body in at least one rotary position connects at least three ports of the housing to one another and in at least one other rotary position does does not connect any of the three ports to one another.

27. The fluid valve as claimed in claim 17, wherein the valve body in at least one rotary position connects at least one port from the first group and at least one port from the second group to one another and/or connects or does not connect at least two ports from the first group to one another and/or connects or does not connect at least two ports from the second group to one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] Further advantages and features are derived from the dependent claims and the exemplary embodiments. To this end, in the partially schematic figures:

[0043] FIGS. 1A, 1B are a fluid valve in a perspective view from above and below, respectively;

[0044] FIG. 2 is a section along a rotation axis through a valve body of the fluid valve;

[0045] FIG. 3 is a section perpendicular to the rotation axis through the valve body;

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a section corresponding to that of FIG. 2 through is fluid valve;

[0047] FIG. 5 is a section corresponding to that of FIG. 3 through the fluid valve;

[0048] FIG. 6 is a section perpendicular to the rotation axis through the fluid valve at another axial height;

[0049] FIGS. 7A-7D are different rotary positions of the valve body; and

[0050] FIG. 8 is a rotary position of the valve body of a fluid valve in an illustration corresponding to that of FIGS. 7A-D.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0051] FIGS. 7A-7D in a partially schematic manner show different rotary positions of a valve body 100 of a fluid valve according to one aspect of the present invention, the fluid valve being shown in different views or sections, respectively, in FIGS. 1-6.

[0052] The valve body 100 has a ring 110 and a shank 120 having a smaller diameter. As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 2 and 4, the ring 110 is a spherical ring and for simplification is illustrated so as to be cylindrical in FIGS. 7A-7D.

[0053] In a rotary position shown in FIG. 7A, a first fluid passage 1 of the valve body 100 connects an axial first port 10, which has an axial tubular connector 11, to a lateral third port 30, which has a lateral tubular connector 31, to a lateral fourth port 40, which has a lateral tubular connector 41, and to a lateral fifth port 50, which has a lateral tubular connector 51, while a further fluid passage 2 of the valve body 100 connects a lateral second port 20, which has a lateral tubular connector 21, to a lateral sixth port 60, which has a lateral tubular connector 61.

[0054] FIGS. 7B-7D show positions of the valve body 100 which are in each case further rotated by 90° about a rotation axis A; the sequence of FIGS. 7A 7B 7C 7D shows a method for operating the fluid valve according to one aspect of the present invention.

[0055] In a rotary position shown in FIG. 7B it can be seen that the valve body 100, or the further fluid passage 2, thereof, respectively, now connects the second and the fourth port 20, 40, while the valve body 100, or the first fluid passage 1 thereof, respectively, connects the first, the fifth, and the sixth port 10, 50, 60.

[0056] In a further rotary position shown in FIG. 7C the valve body 100, or the first fluid passage 1, thereof, respectively, connects the first, the second, the third, and the sixth port 10, 20, 30, 60, while the valve body 100, or the further fluid passage 2 thereof, respectively, now connects the fourth and the fifth port 40, 50.

[0057] In a further rotary position shown in FIG. 7D the valve body 100, or the first fluid passage 1, thereof, respectively, connects the first, the second and the fourth port 10, 20, 40 while the valve body 100, or the further fluid passage 2 thereof, respectively, now connects the fifth and the sixth port 50, 60.

[0058] This in an exemplary manner illustrates one potential advantageous design embodiment, or switching (possibility) of the ports 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60, without the invention being limited thereto.

[0059] FIGS. 1A, 1B, 4, 5, and 6 show the housing 200 having the tubular connectors 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, and 61; FIGS. 2 to 6 show the valve body 100 having the first and the further fluid passages 1, 2, or the (fluid passage) openings 3 (openings of the first fluid passage 1) or 4 (openings of the further fluid passage 2) thereof, respectively.

[0060] Two elbow pieces 42, 62 disposed on the tubular connectors 41, 61 can be seen.

[0061] FIG. 8 in an illustration corresponding to that of FIGS. 7A-D shows a rotary position of the valve body of a fluid valve according to a further embodiment of the present invention. Features corresponding to one another are identified by identical reference signs, such that reference is made to the above description and only points of differentiation will be discussed below.

[0062] In the further embodiment, the first fluid passage 1 of the valve body 100 in the rotary position shown in FIG. 8 connects the axial first port 10 to the third port 30, the fourth port 40, a lateral further port 70, which has a lateral tubular connector 71, and a lateral further port 80, which has a lateral tubular connector 81, while the further fluid passage 2 of the valve body 100 connects the second port 20 to the sixth port 60.

[0063] This again in only an exemplary manner illustrates a potential combination of the ports 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 with two further ports 70, 80, without the invention being limited to this switching possibility of such ports.

[0064] Although exemplary embodiments have been discussed in the above description, it should be noted that numerous modifications are possible. Furthermore, it should be noted that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples which are not intended to limit the scope of protection, applications and structure in any way. Rather, the above description will provide a person skilled in the art with a guideline for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, wherein various modifications, in particular with regard to the function and arrangement of the described constituent parts, may be made without departing from the scope of protection as defined by the claims and by these equivalent combinations of features.

[0065] Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice.

[0066] It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.