SWITCH VALVE WITH IMPACT DAMPING

Abstract

An electrically or electromagnetically operated valve has a movable structural group with a magnetic armature, which is movable along an axis between a first and a second position to open or close the valve. The valve has a valve sleeve in which the magnetic armature is movable between the first and the second position, the magnetic armature defining on its axial sides two volumes in the valve sleeve. There is provided a throttling element elastic in the radial direction, which is arranged between the first volume and the second volume such that upon axial movement of the movable structural group it throttles an air stream between the first volume and the second volume in order to decelerate a movement of the movable structural group.

Claims

1. An electrically or electromagnetically operated valve, comprising a movable structural group with a magnetic armature, which is movable along an axis between a first and a second position, wherein in the first position at least one passage through the valve is at least partially open, which passage is closed in the second position, and a valve sleeve which surrounds the magnetic armature and in which the magnetic armature is movable between the first and the second position, wherein the magnetic armature defines in the valve sleeve a first volume on a first axial side of the magnetic armature and a second volume on a second axial side of the magnetic armature opposing the first axial side, wherein a throttling element elastic in the radial direction, which is arranged between the first volume and the second volume such that upon axial movement of the movable structural group it throttles a fluid stream between the first volume and the second volume.

2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the throttling element further comprises at least one circumferential seal in a gap between the magnetic armature and the valve sleeve, wherein the throttling element is arranged along a circumference of the magnetic armature.

3. The valve according to claim 1, wherein at least one passage is provided which upon axial movement of the movable structural group allows a fluid stream between the first and second volume, wherein the passage is arranged in the throttling element.

4. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the throttling element is configured such that upon movement of the movable structural group in a first axial direction it develops a higher throttling effect than upon a movement of the movable structural group in a second axial direction opposing the first axial direction, wherein the throttling element upon a movement in the second axial direction develops substantially no throttling effect.

5. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the throttling element further comprises at least one sealing lip, wherein the sealing lip has preferably a V-profile which is open in an axial direction.

6. The valve according to claim 5, wherein the sealing lip is arranged such that it spreads open upon an axial movement of the movable structural group produced by energizing the valve.

7. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the movable structural group further comprises a plunger which extends in the axial direction from the second axial side of the magnetic armature and through a bore in a stationary part of the valve, wherein in the bore there is arranged a seal which seals the second volume.

8. The valve according to claim 7, wherein the seal further comprises a sealing sleeve in which the plunger is mounted to be axially movable.

9. The valve according to claim 1, wherein the magnetic armature further comprises at least one recess on an axial side, wherein the recess occupies more than a third, of a cross-sectional area of the magnetic armature.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Hereinafter the invention will be presented by way of example with reference to the attached drawings. Therein are shown:

[0018] FIG. 1 an electromagnetically operated seat valve according to a preferred embodiment example in the open state,

[0019] FIG. 1A an enlarged detail of the valve of FIG. 1,

[0020] FIG. 2 the valve of FIG. 1 in the blocked state,

[0021] FIG. 2A again an enlarged detail of the valve of FIG. 2,

[0022] FIG. 3 a further embodiment example of a valve,

[0023] FIG. 4 yet a further embodiment example of a valve,

[0024] FIGS. 5A and 5B various views of a throttling element and

[0025] FIG. 6 a further embodiment example of a throttling element in cross section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The switch valve 1 represented in the open state in FIG. 1 and in the blocked state in FIG. 2 possesses a valve opening 2 with a sealing seat 3 which is closable by a sealing element 4. Therefore, the valve 1 is configured as a seat valve. The sealing face of the sealing element 4 is elastically deformable in order to guarantee a reliable sealing of the axial flow opening 2. The sealing element 4 is seated at the front axial end of a valve element 5 which is coupled via a plunger 6 to a movable magnetic armature 7. It is in principle conceivable to fasten the sealing element 4 immediately to the magnetic armature 7. In the represented embodiment example, however, the valve element 5 is seated firmly on the plunger 6 which is in turn firmly seated in the magnetic armature 7. This results in a movable structural group consisting of sealing element 4, valve element 5, plunger 6 and magnetic armature 7. The valve element 5 and the plunger 6 or the magnetic armature 7 and the plunger 6 are here in particular pressed together. Upon assembling, this allows the length of the movable structural group and of the axial distance of the magnetic armature 7 to the pole member 8 to be adjusted. The valve element 5 is mounted to be sealed and axially displaceable by means of a dynamic seal 14. The plunger 6 runs through a bore 23 in the pole member 8.

[0027] The movable magnetic armature 7 is part of an iron circuit to which the stationary pole member 8 also belongs. The magnetic armature 7 is mounted axially displaceable in a valve sleeve 22, separated by a gap 21. Between the magnetic armature 7 and the pole member 8 is a volume 13 which enables the magnetic armature 7 to move axially toward the pole member 8 when the sealing element 4 is brought into its closed position represented in FIG. 2. On the axially opposite side of the magnetic armature 7 there is located a volume 12 which allows a movement of the magnetic armature 7 from the blocked state shown in FIG. 2 into the open state shown in FIG. 1. The volumes 12 and 13 are limited by the valve sleeve 22 and are connected with each other by the gap 21, so that upon an axial movement of the magnetic armature 7 air can be exchanged between the two volumes 12 and 13.

[0028] In the open switch position of the valve represented in FIG. 1, the magnetic armature 7 is held spaced from the pole member 8 through mechanical load by means of a spring element 10. Through electrical energizing of a coil 11 surrounding the magnetic armature 7 and the pole member 8, a magnetic circuit penetrating the magnetic armature 7 and the pole member 8 is generated in such a way that between the pole member 8 and the magnetic armature 7 there acts a magnetic attraction which counteracts the mechanical load of the spring element 10 and overcomes it. Then the magnetic armature 7 moves towards the pole member 8, so that the plunger 6 is axially displaced and the sealing element 4 closes the sealing seat 3, so that in the blocked state the flow between radial flow openings 17a, 17b and the axial flow opening 2 is prevented.

[0029] In order to achieve a short switching time in particular upon closing the valve, the movable structural group is moved with a high speed. An undamped impact of the sealing element 4 on the sealing seat 3 would generate a disturbing noise, which cannot be completely avoided even with damper elements (not shown) for example between the magnetic armature 7 and the pole member 8. Between the pole member 8 and the magnetic armature 7 there is usually retained a minimum of the volume 13 in the form of an air gap (so-called remanence gap), so that at this point an impact noise can be prevented. In addition, the air gap increases the current at which the valve 1 opens, thereby reducing the turn-off time. Short switching times in connection with high flow rates are desired in particular when the valve 1 is employed in an air suspension system of an automobile.

[0030] In the valve 1 the movement of the movable structural group is therefore decelerated and thus the impact of the sealing element 4 on the sealing seat 3 is weakened. For this, a throttling element 9 is provided which throttles the exchange of air between the two volumes 12 and 13. The throttling element 9 is configured in particular as a V-seal, i.e. a sealing ring with a V-profile, as represented in FIG. 5A in plan view and in FIG. 5B in a perspective sectional drawing (section along the dashed line in FIG. 5A). Upon energizing the coil 11, i.e. upon turn-on of the valve 1, the magnetic armature 7 is moved in the direction of the pole member 8 against the force of the spring 10.

[0031] With the movement of the movable structural group the volume 13 is reduced and air contained therein is compressed (overpressure) and at the same time the volume 12 increases and air contained therein expands (negative pressure). This leads to a deceleration of the magnetic armature 7. More precisely, this leads to a switching-path dependent deceleration, because the resistance by the compressed air is small at the beginning of the movement and only by the end of the movement shortly before the impact it causes a strong deceleration. In this way, an effective reduction of the impact noise with an at the same time insignificant increase of the necessary driving current is achieved. When the movable structural group stands still, a pressure compensation between the volumes 12 and 13 takes place.

[0032] For achieving a sufficient compression of the air contained in the volume 13 and preventing the air from escaping through the bore 23 along the plunger 6, the volume 13 is sealed in the region of the plunger 6. For this, a sealing sleeve 15 is inserted in the bore 23. The sealing sleeve 15 reduces the gap between the plunger 6 and the pole member 8 in the bore 23. The arising small gap between the sealing sleeve 15 and the plunger 6 improves the throttling and deceleration of the movable structural group, because the volume 13 then is sealed on both sides.

[0033] Upon turn-on of the valve 1, the throttling element 9 ensures that an exchange of air from the volume 13 in the direction of the volume 12 is throttled. Through the alignment of the V-profile, i.e. the opening of the V-profile in the direction of the volume 13, an elastic deformation of the throttling element 9 occurs radially outwardly such that upon an axial movement of the magnetic armature 7 in the direction of the pole member 8 the V-profile spreads open and comes to lie against the internal wall of the valve sleeve 22. This enhances the sealing effect.

[0034] To decrease the throttling effect, i.e. to increase the flow of air through the throttling element 9, the throttling element 9 has a slot 20 (FIG. 5A). At the same time the slot 20 permits an easy assemblage of the otherwise annular throttling element 9 in the groove 19 of the magnetic armature 7. There can also be provided several slots and/or one or several other through openings in the throttling element 9 or also in the magnetic armature 7 and/or the plunger 6, which allow an exchange of air between the two volumes 12 and 13. By way of example, in FIG. 6 there is represented a throttling element 9 with a hole 24 instead of a slot, which extends through the throttling element 9 to allow an exchange of air through the throttling element 9. By providing a slot 20 or any other through opening 24 the throttling effect and thus the deceleration of the movable structural group can be adjusted.

[0035] In the opposite moving direction, i.e. upon turn-off of the valve 1, whereby the movable structural group is moved into the position shown in FIG. 1 by means of the force of the spring 10, the V-profile of the throttling element 9 is squeezed, so that a throttling effect is produced which is reduced compared to the turn-on or no throttling effect is produced. On account of the lower speed of movement of the movable structural group, upon turn-off a deceleration is not necessarily required.

[0036] In FIG. 3 there is shown another embodiment example of a valve 1 which is substantially similar to the above-described valve 1. To facilitate the assemblage of the sealing ring 9, the magnetic armature 7 is configured in two-part fashion, however. After insertion of the sealing ring 9 an annular component 16 is connected with the body of the magnetic armature 7, thereby closing the groove open in axial direction 19. A cutting of the sealing ring 9 can thus be omitted. For the above-mentioned reasons with respect to the throttling effect, providing a slot 20 or other passage connecting the two volumes 12 and 13 with each other may nevertheless be advantageous, however.

[0037] In FIG. 4 there is shown yet another embodiment example of a valve 1 which likewise is substantially similar to the above-described valve. In contrast to the valve 1 described above, the magnetic armature 7 of the valve 1 from FIG. 4 has a recess 18. This can be provided, because in this region of the magnetic armature 7 hardly any magnetic flux is present. For compensating the magnetic curve in comparison to a magnetic armature without this recess, the pole stage, i.e. the geometry at the end of the magnetic armature 7 facing the pole member 8, is adapted. The recess 18 reduces the weight of the magnetic armature 7 which further contributes to a reduction of the force of impact of the magnetic armature 7 on the pole member 8 upon turn-on of the valve 1 and therefore to a reduction of noise.