DEVICE FOR REGULATING A FLOW THROUGH AND DISTRIBUTING A FLUID IN A FLUID CIRCUIT

• US 20190308489A1
• Filed: 04/01/2019
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hanon Systems (Hahn & Co. Auto Holdings Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Spies, Toni, Haas, Tobias, Wiechard, Dominik, Herzog, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 11,724,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00485 Valves for air-conditioning devices, e.g. thermostatic valves valves per se F16K; thermostatic valves per se G05D23/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00885 Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00907 where the flow direction of the refrigerant changes and an evaporator becomes condenser
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/00935 comprising four way valves for controlling the fluid direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0876 one connecting conduit having the same axis as the spindle
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/20 Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves expansion valves F25B41/31
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/325 having two or more valve members
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/35 by rotary motors, e.g. by stepping motors
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 5/02 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 6/02 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

Device for controlling a flow-through and distributing a fluid in at least one fluid circuit, in particular a refrigerant in a refrigerant circuit including a housing with ports for connecting with fluid lines, each of which is connected via a passage opening with the at least one interior volume of the housing, as well as with at least one valve element disposed in the interior volume of the housing with a drive element for moving the valve element relative to the housing. The at least one valve element is supported rotatably about a rotational axis and comprises at least three through openings developed as through-bores forming in the interior of the valve element a common volume. An axis of symmetry of a first opening and the rotational axis of the valve element are located on a common axis. The device is used in a refrigerant circuit of a thermal system.

Claims

1. A device for controlling a flow-through and distributing a fluid in at least one fluid circuit, in particular a refrigerant in a refrigerant circuit, comprising a housing with ports for the connection to fluid lines, each of which being connected via a passage opening with at least one interior volume of the housing, as well as at least one valve element disposed in the interior volume of the housing with a drive element for moving the valve element relative to the housing, wherein the at least one valve element is supported rotatably about an axis of rotation and comprises at least openings developed as through-bores, which openings form in the interior of the valve element a common volume, wherein an axis of symmetry of a first opening and the rotational axis of the valve elements are located on a common axis.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the valve element is developed in the form of a ball or a circular cylinder.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the first opening of the valve element is developed on a side that is opposite to the side oriented toward the drive element.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least one valve element is disposed oriented within the housing such that the through-bore of the first opening of the valve element and the passage opening of a first port form a common passageway, wherein the axis of symmetry of the first opening of the valve element and an axis of symmetry of the passage opening of the first port are located on a common axis.

5. A device according to claims 1, wherein the through-bores of openings of the valve element have identical diameters that are constant over their length.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the axes of symmetry of the openings and the rotational axis of the valve element have a common point of intersection in the center of the valve element.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein a second opening and a third opening of the valve element are disposed in a common center plane of the valve element at an angle with respect to one another differing from 0°

and from 180°

, wherein the center plane is oriented orthogonally to the rotational axis of the valve element.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein on the surface of the valve element, starting at an edge of the third opening, at least one groove is developed which extends along the center plane of the valve element.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein on the surface of the valve element, starting at the edge of the third opening, two grooves are developed which extend on both sides of the third opening along the center plane of the valve element.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein a second groove is developed diametrically opposite to the second opening of the valve element.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein axes of symmetry of the passage openings of a first port, of a second port as well as of a third port of housing and the rotational axis of a valve element have a common point of intersection in which the valve element is disposed with a center point.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the valve element is connected across a connection element with a drive element disposed outside of the housing.

13. A device according to claim 12, wherein with the implementation of at least two valve elements each valve element is developed to be connected with a drive element across a connection element such that the valve elements are movable independently of one another.

14. A device according to claim 12, wherein the passage openings of a second port and of a third port are located on a common axis and that the passage opening of a first port and the connection element are located on a common axis such that the passage openings of the ports are disposed in the form of a T with respect to one another.

15. A device according to claim 14, wherein the first port is disposed on a side of the drive element opposite to the valve element and that the second port and the third port are implemented on sides opposite to one another and differing from the side of the first port of housing.

16. A device according to claim 12, wherein the connection element is developed as a shaft.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the connection element is fixedly connected at a first end with the drive element and at a second end, developed distally to the first end, projects through a side into the housing and is connected with the valve element.

18. A device according to claim 12, wherein with the implementation of an even number of at least two valve elements, two drive elements each of the valve elements are disposed on opposite sides of housing and the rotational axes of the valve elements are located on a common axis.

19. A device according to claim 4, wherein with the formation of at least two valve elements the passage openings of the first ports are developed such that they are connected with one another at a connection site.

20. A device according to claim 1, wherein the drive element is developed as a servomotor.

21. A method for controlling a flow-through and distributing a fluid wherein the method comprises the step of employing a device according to claim 1 in a refrigerant circuit of a thermal management system of a motor vehicle for conditioning at least an air mass flow to be supplied to a passenger compartment as well as at least one component of a drive train of the motor vehicle.