Device for Discharging Condensate for a Housing of a Motor Vehicle Closed Off From the Environment, Housing, and Motor Vehicle

• US 20130126008A1
• Filed: 09/24/2012
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: BMW AG (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG)
• Inventors: PINT, Siegfried, LUSTIG, Robert, LOEFFLER, Robert, HEGER, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,169,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/247.13
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/005 Regenerative cooling means, e.g. cold accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3233 characterised by condensed liquid drainage means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/00 Other details not peculiar to particular types of valves or cut-off apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16T 1/00 Steam traps or like apparatus for draining-off liquids from enclosures predominantly containing gases or vapours, e.g. gas lines, steam lines, containers
• CPC Class Codes: F16T 1/38 Component parts; Accessories valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/227 Condensate pipe for drainage of condensate from the evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4471 Valves

Abstract

A condensate trap is provided for a housing of a motor vehicle that is sealed off from the environment, wherein the housing is provided for accommodating a technical component, in particular a power storage module. A reservoir for accommodating the condensate is formed in or on the floor of the housing. The reservoir forms the lowest point of the floor in a predefined installation situation of the housing. The reservoir is separated from the interior of the housing by a cover, which is provided with at least one breakthrough as an inlet for the condensate, accumulating in the interior. An outlet opening of the reservoir is coupled to an actively actuable element for discharging the condensate.

Claims

1-17. -17. (canceled)

18. A device for discharging condensate for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a housing configured to accommodate a technical component of the motor vehicle, the housing being sealed-off from an environment;

a reservoir formed in or on a floor of the housing, the reservoir being configured to form a lowest point of the floor in a predefined installation situation of the housing;

a cover separating the reservoir from an interior of the housing, the cover having at least one breakthrough forming an inlet for condensate accumulating in the interior of the housing; and

an actively actuable element operatively configured to discharge the condensate, the actively actuable element being coupled to an outlet opening of the reservoir.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the reservoir is configured to extend over an entire width of the floor of the housing.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein, in the predefined installation situation of the housing, a longitudinal axis of the reservoir extends transversely to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein, in the predefined installation situation of the housing, the reservoir is arranged in a rear third of the vehicle relative to the longitudinal axis.

22. The device according to claim 18, wherein the reservoir is formed by an embossing of the floor.

23. The device according to claim 18, wherein the reservoir is formed by a position of the floor relative to an area lying in a horizontal plane.

24. The device according to claim 18, wherein the breakthrough has a collar configured such that an opening cross section facing the interior of the housing is larger than an opening cross section facing the reservoir.

25. The device according to claim 18, wherein the actively actuable element is operatively configured to close the outlet opening of the reservoir when inactive.

26. The device according to claim 18, wherein the actively actuable element is operatively configured to be activated at predefined time intervals to discharge the condensate in the reservoir.

27. The device according to claim 18, wherein the actively actuable element is a pump having an inlet coupled to the outlet opening of the reservoir.

28. The device according to claim 27, wherein an outlet of the pump is located above a predefined fording line of the vehicle when in the predefined installation situation of the housing.

29. The device according to claim 27, wherein the pump is a windshield wiper water pump.

30. The device according to claim 18, wherein the actively actuable element is a valve operatively configured to open the outlet opening of the reservoir upon activation, the valve being arranged at a bottom in the reservoir in the direction of gravity and, upon deactivation, the valve closes the outlet opening.

31. The device according to claim 30, wherein the valve is a magnetically operated valve.

32. The device according to claim 30, wherein a valve tappet of the valve rests against a seal surrounding the outlet opening when the valve is deactivated.

33. The device according to claim 18, wherein the housing accommodates a power storage module for the motor vehicle.

34. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a power supply device for the motor vehicle;

a housing configured to accommodate the power supplying device of the motor vehicle, the housing being sealed-off from an environment;

a reservoir formed in or on a floor of the housing, the reservoir being configured to form a lowest point of the floor in a predefined installation situation of the housing;

a cover separating the reservoir from an interior of the housing, the cover having at least one breakthrough forming an inlet for condensate accumulating in the interior of the housing; and

an actively actuable element operatively configured to discharge the condensate, the actively actuable element being coupled to an outlet opening of the reservoir.