High pressure valve

Abstract

Electromagnetically actuable high-pressure valve, having a valve seat which is arranged in a valve chamber and which can be closed off by a sealing element and which is arranged between a low-pressure side (N) and a high-pressure side (H) of the valve, wherein the sealing element is arranged so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position, having a movably arranged armature, and having an electrically energizable coil which is designed and arranged so as to be suitable for acting on the armature, wherein the armature and the sealing element are arranged in the valve chamber.

Claims

1. An electromagnetically actuable high-pressure valving apparatus suitable for the field of gasoline direct injection or other fields using corrosive media, comprising: a one piece high-pressure valve with a high pressure side of about 280 bar; a valve seat which is arranged in a valve chamber of the valve and which can be closed off by a plate-shaped sealing element whose extent perpendicular to a direction of a valve opening is larger than in a direction of the valve opening and which is arranged between a low-pressure side (N) and a high-pressure side of the valve, wherein the plate-shaped sealing element is arranged so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position, having a movably arranged armature, and having an electrically energizable coil arranged so as to be suitable for acting on the armature, wherein the armature and the plate-shaped sealing element are arranged in the valve chamber, wherein the valve is in an open state when the energizable coil is unenergized and in a closed state when energized, wherein the armature is formed so as to be separate from the sealing element and wherein high-pressure valve components which are in contact with the corrosive media are manufactured from at least one of high-grade steel and hardened high grade steel, and wherein the armature is of a T-shaped form in cross section.

2. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the armature is in the form of a flat armature.

3. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the armature has at least one aperture, or bores, for a throughflow of medium.

4. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, as seen in a plan view of the valve seat in the direction of a valve bore, the bores are arranged so as to be situated on a circular line and so as to surround the valve seat.

5. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a non-magnetic seal which is of annular form, or a metal seal, is arranged between the energizable coil and the valve chamber.

6. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one spring is provided which holds the plate-shaped sealing element in the open position when the energizable coil is in an electrically deenergized state.

7. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one spring is in the form of a compression spring, in particular a helical spring.

8. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one spring is in the form of a tension spring.

9. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the tension spring is in the form of at least one leaf spring.

10. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a supply of medium from the low-pressure side N takes place via a duct running within the energizable coil.

11. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the duct is formed as an inner pole for conducting a magnetic field.

12. The high-pressure valving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a closure plate for conducting a magnetic field is provided on an end of the energizable coil facing away from the high-pressure side, which faces away from the high-pressure side H, of the energizable coil.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE(S)

(1) The present invention will be explained in detail below on the basis of two exemplary embodiments with reference to the appended figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a high-pressure valve according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows an enlarged detail in the region of the valve seat from FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged detail of the region of the valve seat of a second exemplary embodiment,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a high-pressure valve according to the invention, and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic sketch of a high-pressure valve known from the prior art, and the use thereof in a high-pressure pump in a common rail application (already discussed).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE(S)

(7) FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a high-pressure valve 1 according to the present invention.

(8) The high-pressure valve 1 has, as a central element, a valve plate 4 which is suitably arranged so as to sealingly close off a valve seat 5 arranged below the valve plate 4. An actuation of the valve plate 4, which in the case of the illustrated high-pressure valve 1 combines a magnetically actuable armature and a sealing element in one element, is manufactured from a magnetically conductive material and can thus be realized by electrical energization of a coil 31 which is arranged on a coil carrier 30.

(9) An electrical energization of the coil 31 and thus switching of the valve is realized via connection socket 28, which in the present exemplary embodiment is provided in a radially projecting manner on that end of the coil 31 which faces away from the high-pressure side H.

(10) To conduct the magnetic flux within the high-pressure valve 1 and to conduct a medium from a low-pressure side N, a duct 21 which is arranged in an inner pole 22 extends from the low-pressure side N in the direction of the valve seat 5. The inner pole 22, in which the duct 21 is arranged, is in this case manufactured from a magnetically conductive material and is thus designed to be suitable for conducting the magnetic flux within the high-pressure valve 1. For the magnetic flux to be conducted in an optimum manner at an end, arranged so as to face away from the valve seat 5, of the coil 31, a closure plate 24 is provided which is arranged transversely with respect to the inner pole 22 and which thus simultaneously closes off a housing 26 of the high-pressure valve 1 at the rear side. At the front side, the coil 31 which is arranged in a coil chamber is sealed off by means of an encircling plate-shaped seal 11 which runs between the housing 26 and the inner pole 22 and which is composed of non-magnetic metallic material. The metal seal 11 thus divides an interior space of the housing 26 into the coil chamber and a valve chamber 9 through which medium flows. The valve plate 4, and a compression spring 15 which acts on the valve plate 4, are arranged in the valve chamber 9.

(11) In the present exemplary embodiment, the compression spring 15 is in the form in the form of a helical spring which is supported at one end on the valve plate 4 and at the other end on the encircling metal seal 11.

(12) To ensure an unhindered flow of medium through the valve chamber 9 in the direction of the high-pressure side H of the high-pressure valve 1, the sealing plate 4 has, in the present exemplary embodiment, four bores 41 which are arranged on a circular line so as to surround the valve seat 5. Here, the bores 41 are arranged such that the valve plate 4, which in the present case is of circular form, has in a central region a closed surface for sealingly closing off the valve seat 5.

(13) A counterbearing for the valve plate in the open state is formed by a transition element 19 that forms a transition from the valve chamber 9 to the high-pressure region H in which, for example in the case of a common rail application, a high-pressure pump is arranged.

(14) The high-pressure valve 1 illustrated here is in the form of a normally open valve, wherein the compression spring 15, which is in the form of a helical spring, is dimensioned such that, when the coil 31 is in an electrically deenergized state, the valve plate 4 is held in a position in which it is raised from the valve seat 5. In this position, it is possible, for example in the case of a common rail application, for medium to flow back out of the high-pressure pump to the low-pressure side N of the high-pressure valve 1. The pressure in the rail of the common rail system can be regulated in this way.

(15) FIG. 2 shows an enlarged illustration of the valve seat 5 and of the valve plate 4 as illustrated in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, it can be seen particularly clearly that the valve plate 4 is loaded in the direction of the high-pressure side H by means of a compression spring 15 in the form of a helical spring, such that the valve is in the form of a normally open valve. When the coil 31 is electrically deenergized, that is to say when no magnetic field acts on the valve plate 4, the pressure of the medium on the high-pressure side H thus cannot on its own cause the valve to close counter to the spring force of the compression spring 15, such that the medium displaced by the high-pressure pump flows through the bores 41 back to the low-pressure side N of the high-pressure valve 1. A pressure build-up within the high-pressure pump is thus not possible.

(16) As shown in FIG. 2 and as already discussed above, the compression spring 15 is supported at one end on the valve plate 4 and at the other end on the encircling metal seal 11 which separates the valve chamber 9 from the coil chamber. The metal seal 11 that is shown is formed from a non-magnetic material and is designed to be stable enough to adequately absorb vibrations and shocks transmitted from the valve plate 4 via the compression spring 15. In the present exemplary embodiment, the transition element 19 is provided as a counterbearing for the valve plate 4. The transition element 19 has an abutment that is slightly spaced apart from the valve plate in an open position and that prevents the valve plate 4 from lifting under the action of forces, caused by medium flowing through the openings, in the direction of the high-pressure side H.

(17) In a further embodiment, which corresponds in terms of its basic construction to the embodiment as per FIG. 1, the valve plate 4 is mounted on the transition element 19 by way of tension springs in the form of leaf springs 17. In this embodiment, a more compact construction than the embodiment in FIG. 2 is possible in the region of the valve chamber 9, because no additional installation space is required for accommodating the compression spring 15. In this embodiment, it is also possible for the metal seal 11 to be configured so as to be weaker with regard to mechanical influences, that is to say in the present exemplary embodiment not with regard to pressure influences, because it is not necessary for said metal seal to absorb transmitted vibrations or shocks.

(18) In the present exemplary embodiment, two leaf springs 17 are provided which are arranged at one side on the circumference of the circular valve plate 4 and at the other side on the circumference of the likewise rotationally symmetrical transition element 19. For this purpose, the leaf springs are arranged so as to run along a secant of the transition element 19, which is of circular configuration as seen in plan view, such that a vertical movement of the valve plate 4 and a slight rotational movement are possible without elongation of the leaf springs 17.

(19) In this context, it is pointed out that, as a result of a combination of the functions of the armature and of the sealing element in the valve plate 4, a considerable reduction of the number of moving components, and advantages with regard to the sealing measures to be implemented, are achieved in relation to high-pressure valves known from the prior art. It is pointed out in particular that no seals are required on the circumference of moving components, such that the valves described here can be designed to be virtually leakage-free.

(20) Both the valve seat formed on the end of the duct 21 on the inner pole 22 and also the valve plate 4 are metallic and magnetically conductive components, such that sealing of the valve is realized by means of a metal-on-metal seal. The corresponding components should thus preferably be formed from hardened material.

(21) FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a high-pressure valve 1, wherein by contrast to the high-pressure valves 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the high-pressure side H and the low-pressure side N are arranged at the same end of the valve. The valve thus has the advantage that a connection both to the high-pressure side H and also to the low-pressure side N can be produced by means of one flange connection.

(22) For clarity, the connection socket 28 is not fully shown in the illustration.

(23) Corresponding to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, a supply from the low-pressure side N is realized by way of a radial supply of medium, which in the present example takes place via bores 32 provided on two opposite sides of the valve in the housing 26. The inner pole 22, which in the above exemplary embodiments was in the form of a supply duct 21, can thus be formed as a solid component and thus conduct a greater magnetic flux.

(24) In order that the medium flowing in from the low-pressure side N is conducted in an optimum manner, the encircling metal seal 11 is of trapezoidal cross section and formed overall as an encircling seal ring which extends, and tapers conically, from the coil chamber in the direction of the valve chamber 9.

(25) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a flat armature is provided which is in the form of an armature plate 4 and which, in order to ensure a throughflow of medium, is provided with bores 41 which, as described above, are arranged for example so as to be situated on a circular line.

(26) In the present exemplary embodiment, the armature plate 10 is of T-shaped form in cross section. The armature plate 4 is arranged such that a substantially disk-shaped section of the armature plate 4 is oriented in the direction of the coil chamber and has, in a central region, a substantially cylindrical projection which extends in the direction of the sealing element 2. In the present exemplary embodiment, the armature plate 4 is formed so as to be separate from a sealing element 2 which is provided in the direction of the high-pressure side H and which can sealingly close off a sealing seat 5 of encircling form. In the present exemplary embodiment, the sealing element 2 is of substantially plate-shaped form, though may also be of stepped form in order to bridge a distance between the armature plate 4 and the sealing element 2. In a central region, the sealing element 2 has, oriented in the direction of the high-pressure side H, a depression or an annular groove in which a bearing spring 16 for preloading the sealing element 2 in the direction of the sealing seat 5 is provided. The bearing spring 16 is mounted at the other end in a depression of the transition element 19, and thus secures the sealing element so as to prevent uncontrolled movements of the latter in the flow of medium.

(27) The armature plate 4 is in turn preloaded in the direction of the high-pressure side H by means of a compression spring 15 which may for example be supported on the inner pole 22, such that a normally open valve is realized by means of corresponding coordination of the compression spring 15 and of the bearing spring 16. Likewise provided on the armature plate 4 is an annular groove or a depression for receiving the compression spring 15.

(28) By means of decoupling of the armature plate 4 and sealing element 2, it is possible for magnetic forces in a tilting direction, which may be transmitted to the sealing element 2 in the case of a single-piece configuration of armature plate 4 and sealing element 2, to be avoided. In the present exemplary embodiment, when the coil 31 is electrically energized and the armature plate 4 is thus attracted in the direction of the inner pole 22, the sealing element 2 is closed exclusively by the spring force of the bearing spring 16 and by the pressure force exerted on the high-pressure side H of the valve as a result of a closure of the valve.

(29) By virtue of the armature being formed as an armature plate or as a flat armature 4 and the sealing element 2 being formed likewise as a plate-shaped sealing element 2, the complex, highly precise mountings in the prior art can likewise be avoided, and in this way cheaper manufacture of the high-pressure valve 1 can be achieved.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(30) 1 High-pressure valve 2 Sealing element 3 Electromagnet 4 Valve plate 5 Valve seat 6 Inflow line 7 Valve bore 8 Armature with plunger 9 Valve chamber 10 Armature plate/armature 11 Metal seal/seal 13 Spring 15 Compression spring 16 Bearing spring 17 Leaf spring 19 Transition element 21 Duct 22 Inner pole 24 Closure plate 26 Housing 28 Terminal contact 30 Coil carrier 31 Coil 32 Bore 70 High-pressure pump 71 Piston 73 Rail 75 Check valve H High-pressure side N Low-pressure side