VALVE UNIT AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE VALVE UNIT

Abstract

A valve unit is provided which has a housing with a cover. Accommodated in the housing is a valve drive which is connected to a valve spindle. A closing body is arranged at an end of the valve drive opposite to the valve spindle. Furthermore, an elastic element is arranged between a contact face in the housing facing away from the closing body and the valve drive, so that the elastic element pretensions the valve drive toward the cover in a closed state of the valve unit. Such a configuration of the valve unit allows the accommodation of a valve unit in a housing to be simplified. Furthermore, the tolerances, for example the manufacturing tolerances of the housing, are compensated for by the pretensioning of the valve drive by the elastic element.

Claims

1. A valve unit-comprising a housing having a cover, a valve drive that is connected to a valve spindle, a closing body that is arranged at an end of the valve spindle opposite to the valve drive, and an elastic element that is arranged between a contact face in the housing facing away from the closing body and the valve drive; wherein the elastic element pretensions the valve drive toward the cover in a closed state of the valve unit.

2. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein the valve drive is an electric drive.

3. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein the cover is fastened to the housing by means of one or more detent hooks.

4. The valve unit according to claim 3, wherein the housing has one or more recesses in a circumferential direction, in which the detent hooks can engage.

5. The valve unit according to claim 4, wherein the one or more recesses partly or fully penetrate the housing in a radial direction.

6. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the housing and the cover is made of plastic.

7. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein a seal is arranged between the housing and the cover.

8. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a protrusion provided thereon, in which an electronic component is received.

9. The valve unit according to claim 8, wherein the protrusion is provided on the housing in a region of the valve spindle.

10. The valve unit according to claim 8, wherein the protrusion is so arranged on the housing and the electronic component is seated in the protrusion such that the elastic element prevents movement of the electronic component out of the protrusion in an axial direction of the valve spindle.

11. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing has in its interior a shoulder in a region of the valve spindle, the shoulder being opposite the valve drive and the elastic element resting against it.

12. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein the elastic element is a spring, a disk spring or a wave spring.

13. The valve unit according to claim 1, wherein a second elastic element is provided, which pretensions the valve spindle toward a closing position when the drive is de-energized.

14. A method of manufacturing a valve unit, wherein the method comprises steps of: preassembling a drive assembly having a valve drive; preassembling a housing assembly having a housing with an open side; placing the drive assembly on a cover or closing the housing, wherein an elastic element is placed on the valve drive during preassembling or after placing the drive assembly on the cover; placing the housing with its open side first on the drive assembly while compressing the elastic element; applying a force so that the elastic element is compressed and the valve drive presses against the elastic element; and fastening the housing to the cover.

15. The method of manufacturing the valve unit according to claim 14, wherein prior to placing the housing in position, an electronic component is fastened to the cover, the electronic component being located in the housing after the latter has been placed in position.

16. The method of manufacturing the valve unit according to claim 14, wherein the application of the force causes one or more detent hooks, which protrude from the cover in an axial direction, to engage in one or more recesses in the housing.

Description

[0027] Further features and advantages of the invention are included in the drawings below, in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the valve unit according to the invention;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the valve unit according to the invention, with two elastic elements;

[0030] FIG. 3A shows a first step of a method according to the invention of manufacturing a valve unit according to the invention; and

[0031] FIG. 3B shows a second step of the method of manufacturing a valve unit according to the invention.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a valve unit 1 having a housing 2 with a cover 3 in a closed state. Located inside the housing 2 is a valve drive 4, which is connected to a valve spindle 5.

[0033] The axial direction of the valve spindle 5 is indicated in the Figures by an arrow marked A.

[0034] A closing body 11 is mounted to the end of the valve spindle 5 opposite to the valve drive 4. This closing body 11 serves to close or to open a conduit in which, for example, a liquid or a gas is transported.

[0035] Provided in the interior of the housing 2 is a shoulder 7, which is located spaced apart from the drive 4 in the area of the valve spindle 5.

[0036] An elastic element 6 is arranged between a side of the shoulder 7 facing away from the closing body 11 and the valve drive 4. This side facing away constitutes a contact face for the elastic element 6. The elastic element 6 may, for example, be a spring, in particular a spiral spring, disk spring or wave spring. In the area of the valve drive 4, the housing 2 shown in FIG. 1 has a circular cylindrical shape with a diameter that is larger above the shoulder 7 than in the area of the valve spindle 5.

[0037] It can further be seen in FIG. 1 that the housing 2 of the valve unit 1 has a protrusion 13 in the area of the self-lockingly mounted valve spindle 5, with an electronic component 10, in particular a printed circuit board, being arranged in the protrusion. Apart from the protrusion 13, the housing has a circular cylindrical shape in this area as well. Here, the electronic component 10 and the protrusion 13 are arranged at the housing 2 such that the elastic element 6 cannot slip out of the protrusion 13 when the electronic component 10 is moved in the axial direction A. In the assembly position, the elastic element 6 is not, however, in direct contact with the electronic component 10, pressing it into the protrusion; rather, there is a small distance between the electronic component 10 and the elastic element 6. Only when the electronic component 10 moves in the axial direction A does the elastic element 6 act as a safety device.

[0038] Alternatively, the housing 2 may have some other desired shape. In such a case, the housing 2 may have a projection in the housing 2 in the area of transition from the valve drive 4 to the valve spindle 5, the elastic element 6 resting on the projection.

[0039] In a closed state of the valve unit 1, the elastic element 6 pretensions the valve drive 4 toward the cover 3.

[0040] One or more detent hooks 8 are provided on the cover 3. In the closed state of the valve unit 1, said detent hook or hooks 8 protrude from the cover 3 in the axial direction A and engage in one or more recesses 9 provided in the housing 2. The one or more recesses 9 may partly or completely penetrate the housing 2 in the radial direction. For example, if the recesses 9 penetrate the housing completely, the detent hooks 8 can be subjected to pressure from the outside and in this way be pushed out of the recesses 9, as a result of which the cover 3 can be separated from the housing 2.

[0041] Furthermore, in FIG. 1 a seal 14, for example a sealing ring or an O-ring, is clamped between the cover 3 and the housing 2. By having to apply a force when the cover 3 is inserted into the housing 2 so that the detent hooks 8 engage in the recesses 9, the seal 14 is compressed and seals the interior of the housing 2 against the ingress of liquids, for example.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the valve unit 1 according to the invention. The reference numerals and elements of the valve unit 1 in FIG. 2 are the same as in FIG. 1. Therefore, these will not be described again and reference is made to the description of FIG. 1. The valve unit 1 in FIG. 2 has a projection 12 on the valve spindle 5, on which a second elastic element 16 may rest. The second elastic element 16 moves the valve spindle 5 and the closing body 11 connected to the latter toward a closed position when the drive is in a de-energized state.

[0043] FIGS. 3A and 3B show various steps during the process for manufacturing a valve unit 1, in particular a valve unit 1 as described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 3A shows a valve unit 1 in the still open state.

[0044] The valve unit 1 is assembled upside down. First, a drive assembly including the valve drive 4, the valve spindle 5 and the closing body 11 is preassembled. At the same time, a so-called housing assembly is also preassembled, which includes, inter alia, the housing 2, any seals and the like.

[0045] The drive assembly is placed on the cover 3 with the valve drive 4 positioned downwards, the cover 3 being located on a mounting table with the detent hooks 8 protruding upwards. The elastic element 6 has also already been fitted at this point in time. Subsequently, the electronic component 10 is inserted into the cover 3; the cover may have retaining projections here, which allows the electronic component 10 to be positioned.

[0046] In the final step, the housing 2 is then placed on with its open side protruding downwards, i.e. is fitted over the parts previously assembled together, with the detent hooks 8 latching into the recesses 9 in the process. Once the detent hooks 8 engage in the recesses 9, the force is no longer applied to the cover 3. As a result, the elastic element 6 presses the valve drive 4 against the cover 3 in the axial direction A of the valve spindle 5.

[0047] Even though FIGS. 3A and 3B only show a valve unit 1 according to FIG. 1, the method of manufacturing a valve unit 1 may also be used for a valve unit 1 according to FIG. 2 having a projection 12 and a second elastic element 16.