Low Pressure Drop Thermal By-Pass Valve
First Claim
1. A thermal by-pass valve for a heat exchange circuit, comprising:
- a valve housing forming a valve chamber and having a first port for an oil supply line, a second port for an oil return line, a third port for a heat exchanger supply line and a fourth port for a heat exchanger return line, said first, second, third and fourth ports communicating with said chamber, and further having a by-pass valve port surrounded by a primary valve seat, said valve port being located in said chamber and providing fluid communication between said first and second ports when said valve port is open;
a thermally sensitive actuator including an actuator body having a shaft section and a movable piston extending from one end of said actuator body, said actuator being mounted in said chamber and movable therein in response to extension or retraction of said piston, said piston being extendible in order to engage said housing at or near one end of said chamber;
a valve member mounted on said shaft section and movable by extension of said piston from a first position where said valve port is open to a second position wherein said valve port is closed by said valve member sealingly engaging said valve seat;
a return spring mounted in said housing and having one spring end engaging said shaft section so as to bias said shaft section away from said valve seat and to move said actuator away from said valve seat upon retraction of said piston; and
a spacer member projecting from and connected to said one end of the actuator body and coaxial with said piston, said spacer member forming a piston-receiving passage into which said piston extends during use of the by-pass valve, said piston being slidable in said passage,wherein said passage has a length and, during use of said valve, said spacer member acts to maintain said one end of the actuator body at least said length of the passage away from said one end of the chamber.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermal by-pass valve for a heat exchange circuit includes a housing forming a chamber and a by-pass valve port surrounded by a valve seat. The valve port is located between first and second sections of the chamber. First and second oil ports open into the first section. At least a third port opens into the second section. A thermally sensitive actuator is mounted in the first section and has a body and a piston located at one end. The body is movable in the chamber in response to extension of the piston. A valve member is operably mounted on the body and is movable by extension of the piston. A spacer projects from and is connected to the body and forms a passage through which the piston extends. The spacer acts to maintain the adjacent end of the actuator body at least the length of the passage away from an end of the chamber. The spacer can have a valve portion to close a further valve port.
38 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A thermal by-pass valve for a heat exchange circuit, comprising:
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a valve housing forming a valve chamber and having a first port for an oil supply line, a second port for an oil return line, a third port for a heat exchanger supply line and a fourth port for a heat exchanger return line, said first, second, third and fourth ports communicating with said chamber, and further having a by-pass valve port surrounded by a primary valve seat, said valve port being located in said chamber and providing fluid communication between said first and second ports when said valve port is open; a thermally sensitive actuator including an actuator body having a shaft section and a movable piston extending from one end of said actuator body, said actuator being mounted in said chamber and movable therein in response to extension or retraction of said piston, said piston being extendible in order to engage said housing at or near one end of said chamber; a valve member mounted on said shaft section and movable by extension of said piston from a first position where said valve port is open to a second position wherein said valve port is closed by said valve member sealingly engaging said valve seat; a return spring mounted in said housing and having one spring end engaging said shaft section so as to bias said shaft section away from said valve seat and to move said actuator away from said valve seat upon retraction of said piston; and a spacer member projecting from and connected to said one end of the actuator body and coaxial with said piston, said spacer member forming a piston-receiving passage into which said piston extends during use of the by-pass valve, said piston being slidable in said passage, wherein said passage has a length and, during use of said valve, said spacer member acts to maintain said one end of the actuator body at least said length of the passage away from said one end of the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A thermal by-pass valve for a heat exchange circuit, comprising
a valve housing forming a valve chamber and a by-pass valve port surrounded by a primary valve seat, said valve port being located between first and second sections of the valve chamber, first and second fluid ports opening into the first section of the valve chamber and a third fluid port opening into said second section; -
a thermally sensitive actuator mounted in said first section of the valve chamber and having an actuator body and an extendible piston located at one end of the actuator body, said actuator body being movable in said chamber in response to extension of said piston when said actuator body is heated to a predetermined temperature by surrounding heat exchange fluid during operation of said by-pass valve and in response to retraction of said piston; a valve member operatively mounted on said actuator body so as to be movable by extension of said piston from a first position where said by-pass valve port is open to a second position where said by-pass valve port is closed by said valve member; a return spring mounted in said second section of the valve chamber and having one spring end engaging an end section of the actuator body remote from said piston, said return spring biasing said actuator body away from the primary valve seat; and a spacer projecting from and connected to said one end of the actuator body, said spacer forming a piston-receiving passage into which said piston extends during use of the by-pass valve, extension of said piston through said passage by a predetermined amount causing an end of said piston to engage said housing at or near one end of said chamber, wherein said passage has a length and, during use of said by-pass valve, said spacer acts to maintain said one end of the actuator body at least said length of the passage away from said end of the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A thermal by-pass valve for a heat exchange circuit, comprising:
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a valve housing forming a valve chamber and having at least three external ports for the flow of a heat exchange fluid into and out of said chamber and to and from a heat exchanger and an internal by-pass port surrounded by a primary valve seat and positioned between first and second sections of said valve chamber, two of said external ports opening into said first section of the chamber and at least one of said external ports opening into said second section; a thermally sensitive actuator mechanism including an actuator body and a piston slidably mounted in said actuator body at one end thereof and adapted to move from a retracted position to an extended position when said actuator body is heated to a predetermined temperature by surrounding heat exchange fluid during operation of said by-pass valve, said actuator body being mounted in said first section of the chamber, said actuator mechanism further including a sleeve extending from and connected to said one end of the actuator body, said sleeve forming a piston-receiving passage into which said piston extends during use of the by-pass valve, whereby extension of said piston through said passage by a predetermined amount causes an end of said piston to engage said housing at or near one end of said chamber; and a valve member operatively mounted on said actuator body so as to be movable by said extension of the piston from a first position where said by-pass port is open to a second position where said by-pass port is closed by said valve member, wherein said piston-receiving passage has a length, and during use of said by-pass valve, said sleeve acts to maintain said one end of the actuator body at least said length of the passage away from said end of the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A combined spacer and valve device for use in a thermal by-pass valve for a heat exchange circuit, said valve having a thermally sensitive actuator with an actuator body and a piston slidably mounted in said actuator body and extendible from one end of said actuator body, said combined spacer and valve device comprising:
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a sleeve section which forms a passage adapted to receive said piston; an annular plate section connected to one end of the sleeve section, extending circumferentially around said sleeve section, and forming a valve portion of the device; and a connecting section joined to said plate section on a side thereof opposite said sleeve section and capable of attending said device to said one end of the actuator body, wherein, during use of the device in the by-pass valve attached to the actuator body, said valve portion is movable by said actuator between a closed position where flow of a heat exchange fluid between two ports of said valve is substantially blocked by said valve portion and an open position where said flow can take place. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification