FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20190309862A1
• Filed: 06/21/2017
• Published: 10/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhejiang Sanhua Intelligent Controls Co., Ltd. (Sanhua Holding Group Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hangzhou Sanhua Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yu, Yumin, Jiang, Huayuan, Wu, Zhi
• Granted Patent: US 10,982,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/074 with flat sealing faces
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/045 with pivotal obturating members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/048 Electromagnetically actuated valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/041 for rotating valves F16K31/055 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/535 for rotating valves F16K31/54 takes precedence

Abstract

A flow control apparatus for a heat exchange system of a vehicle, including a housing and a valve cartridge assembly. A limiting part located in a mounting cavity of the housing is provided for a transmission part of the valve cartridge assembly; correspondingly, a limiting recess, a first stop part, and a second stop part are formed on the housing; the limiting part is at least partially located in the limiting recess. When the transmission part is located at a first position, the limiting part abuts against the first stop part; when the transmission part rotates to a second position, the limiting part abuts against the second stop part. First and second valve plates are sealed from each other, so that the seal performance of a product can be improved.

Claims

1. A flow rate control device, comprising a housing, a valve body assembly, wherein the housing has a mounting chamber, and the valve body assembly is at least partially accommodated in the mounting chamber, the valve body assembly comprises a first valve plate, a second valve plate and a transmission part, the housing has a position-limiting protrusion and an accommodating portion at a bottom side of the mounting chamber, the first valve plate is at least partially located at the accommodating portion, the position-limiting protrusion is configured to limit the first valve plate in a circumferential direction, a lower surface of the second valve plate is arranged at least partially opposite to the position-limiting protrusion, and the lower surface of the second valve plate is in surface contact with an upper surface of the first valve plate in a sealed manner,

the housing has at least one flow hole at the bottom side of the mounting chamber, the first valve plate has at least one flow valve port corresponding to and in communication with the flow hole, the second valve plate is relatively fixedly connected to the transmission part, and driven by the transmission part, the second valve plate opens or closes the flow valve port of the first valve plate and/or adjusts an opening degree of the flow valve port;

the transmission part comprises a first transmission portion and a second transmission portion, and in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first valve plate, the first transmission portion and the second transmission portion are located at two opposite ends of the transmission part, the first transmission portion is assembled with an upper side of the second valve plate, and the housing has a through hole corresponding to the second transmission portion, the second transmission portion passes through the through hole and extends out of the housing, and

the transmission part comprises a position-limiting portion located in the mounting chamber, the housing forms a position-limiting recess, a first block portion and a second block portion, and the position-limiting portion is at least partially located in the position-limiting recess, and when the transmission part is located in the first position, the position-limiting portion abuts against the first block portion, and when the transmission part rotates to the second position, the position-limiting portion abuts against the second block portion.

2. The flow rate control device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission part comprises a connection member and a transmission member which are assembled to each other, and the first transmission portion is formed at a lower end of the connection member, the first transmission portion and the second valve plate are assembled and relatively fixed to each other, an upper end of the transmission member extends out of the housing, the second transmission portion is integrally arranged at the upper end of the transmission member, the second transmission portion and the position-limiting portion are integrally formed, or the second transmission portion and the position-limiting portion are separately arranged and are assembled and connected to each other, the position-limiting portion comprises a first block fitting portion and a second block fitting portion which are integrally formed at a circumferential side of the transmission member, and the first block fitting portion and the second block fitting portion are connected to each other or are separately formed, and when the transmission part is located in the first position, the first block fitting portion abuts against the first block portion, and when the transmission part rotates to the second position clockwise or counterclockwise, the second block fitting portion abuts against the second block portion.

3. The flow rate control device according to claim 1, wherein the number of the flow valve port is equal to or not equal to the number of the flow hole, the transmission part comprises a connection member and a transmission member, and the transmission member integrally forms the position-limiting portion and the second transmission portion, the transmission member has a main body portion, and the main body portion and an upper end of the connection member are assembled and relatively fixed to each other, the second transmission portion protrudes upwards from the main body portion and extends out of the housing, the position-limiting portion is integrally formed on part of a circumferential side of the main body portion, and the position-limiting portion protrudes upwards from the main body portion into the position-limiting recess, the flow rate control device comprises a control component, and a transmission output portion of the control component is configured to provide a driving force for the transmission part, and the second transmission portion is mechanically connected to the transmission output portion.

4. The flow rate control device according to claim 3, wherein the transmission part rotates with respect to the housing, and the transmission part rotates back and forth between the first position and the second position, the main body portion of the transmission member comprises a pivoting portion and a connection portion, the pivoting portion is pivotally fitted with the housing, and the housing has a pivotally fitting portion arranged corresponding to the pivoting portion, and the pivotally fitting portion has a pivoting recess for accommodating the pivoting portion, and the pivoting recess is in communication with the through hole, the connection portion is integrally formed with the pivoting portion to be in a step shape, the position-limiting portion is integrally formed at a part of a circumferential side of the connection portion, the position-limiting portion comprises a first block fitting portion and a second block fitting portion which are connected to each other, and when the transmission part is located in the first position, the first block fitting portion abuts against the first block portion, and when the transmission part rotates to the second position clockwise or counterclockwise, the second block fitting portion abuts against the second block portion, and the flow rate control device further comprises a sealing member, and the housing integrally forms an engagement protrusion, and the sealing member is locked to an outer circumferential side of the engagement protrusion.

5. The flow rate control device according to claim 4, wherein the position-limiting portion comprises a first extension portion and/or a second extension portion, and the first extension portion protrudes radially outward along the connection portion, and the second extension portion protrudes from the connection portion and/or the first extension portion in the vertical direction, and the engagement protrusion is located on an outer circumferential side of the position-limiting portion, and the engagement protrusion and the pivotally fitting portion protrude toward a same side.

6. The flow rate control device according to claim 4, wherein the pivoting portion is of a cylindrical shape, and the connection portion is of a column shape, and the pivoting portion has an outer perimeter less than an outer perimeter of the connection portion, an outer side of the pivoting portion is pivotally fitted with an inner side of the pivotally fitting portion;

the housing comprises a distribution main body and a cover body, the distribution main body forms part of the mounting chamber, and the second transmission portion extends outwards from the cover body, the pivotally fitting portion is integrally formed on one side of the cover body and protrudes toward the mounting chamber in the vertical direction, the first block portion is integrally formed with an outer circumferential side of the pivotally fitting portion, and the second block portion is integrally formed with the outer circumferential side of the pivotally fitting portion, the position-limiting recess is formed on the outer circumferential side of the pivotally fitting portion, and the position-limiting recess extends to be arranged at a region between the first block portion and the second block portion.

7. The flow rate control device according to claim 6, wherein a first curved surface and/or a second curved surface are respectively formed on two sides of the position-limiting portion, a first position-limiting surface and a second position-limiting surface are respectively formed on two sides of the position-limiting recess, the first block portion is arranged to intersect with the first position-limiting surface and the second position-limiting surface, and the second block portion is arranged to intersect with the first position-limiting surface and the second position-limiting surface, the first curved surface and/or the second curved surface are arranged to face side surfaces of the position-limiting recess, respectively.

8. The flow rate control device according to claim 2, wherein one of the transmission member and the connection member has a positioning recess, and the other has a positioning fool-proofing portion, and in the vertical direction, the positioning fool-proofing portion is accommodated in the positioning recess, and the positioning recess and the positioning fool-proofing portion are formed with erroneous fitting prevention structures which are positioning each other.

9. The flow rate control device according to claim 1, wherein the accommodating portion and the position-limiting protrusion are complementarily arranged in the housing, and in a direction perpendicular to the first valve plate, a lower surface of the first valve plate is lower than an upper surface of the position-limiting protrusion, and the upper surface of the first valve plate is higher than or flush with the upper surface of the position-limiting portion, a first block portion and a second block portion are respectively formed on two sides of the position-limiting protrusion, the first valve plate has a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion, the first abutment portion is arranged opposite to the first block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, and the second abutment portion is arranged opposite to the second block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, such that the first block portion and the second block portion limit the position of the first valve plate in a circumferential direction.

10. The flow rate control device according to claim 9, wherein the first valve plate and the housing are in a clearance fit, a clearance less than 2 mm is presented between the first abutment portion and the first block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, and/or, a clearance less than 2 mm is presented between the second abutment portion and the second block portion, the second valve plate is a movable valve plate, and the first valve plate serves as a relatively fixed valve plate with respect to the second valve plate, the second valve plate performs a rotating movement along the upper surface of the first valve plate, the lower surface of the second valve plate has a roughness less than or equal to the roughness of the upper surface of the second valve plate, and the upper surface of the first valve plate has a roughness less than or equal to the roughness of the lower surface of the first valve plate.

11. The flow rate control device according to claim 10, wherein the surface roughness of the upper surface of the first valve plate is greater than 0.03 μ

m and less than 0.48 μ

m, and/or the surface roughness of the lower surface of the second valve plate is greater than 0.03 μ

m and less than 0.48 μ

m, the first block portion and/or the second block portion of the position-limiting protrusion are arranged opposite to side edges of the first valve plate, the first block portion and the second block portion are formed on side edge regions on two sides of the position-limiting protrusion, and the side edge regions are arranged to intersect with the upper surface of the position-limiting protrusion, the first valve plate has a fan-shaped main body portion with a fan-shaped profile, the fan-shaped main body portion comprises an arc-shaped portion, and the arc-shaped portion and the first abutment portion and the second abutment portion form the fan-shaped main body portion.

12. The flow rate control device according to claim 2, wherein the first valve plate comprises the at least one flow valve port in communication with an outlet pipeline, and when the transmission output portion is located at a first position or a second position, the transmission part drives the second valve plate to open or close the flow valve port, and the transmission output portion drives the transmission part to move between the first position and the second position, and the first valve plate performs the movement stroke from opening to closing with respect to the second valve plate, and the flow control device further comprises a sealing member, the sealing member is arranged between a circumferential side of a pivoting portion of the transmission member and the housing, and

one of the transmission part and the second valve plate is provided with at least two fixing claws, and the other of the transmission part and the second valve plate is provided with fixing recesses respectively cooperated with the fixing claws, the at least two fixing claws are arranged to be mirror symmetric or centrosymmetric, driven by the fixing claws, the second valve plate performs a circumferential rotating movement relative to the first valve plate, and the transmission part further comprises an elastic element, and a lower side of the elastic element is stuck on a radial outer side of the fixing claws, and an upper side of the elastic element abuts against the second transmission portion.

13. The flow rate control device according to claim 2, wherein the number of the flow valve port is equal to or not equal to the number of the flow hole, the transmission part comprises a connection member and a transmission member, and the transmission member integrally forms the position-limiting portion and the second transmission portion, the transmission member has a main body portion, and the main body portion and an upper end of the connection member are assembled and relatively fixed to each other, the second transmission portion protrudes upwards from the main body portion and extends out of the housing, the position-limiting portion is integrally formed on part of a circumferential side of the main body portion, and the position-limiting portion protrudes upwards from the main body portion into the position-limiting recess, the flow rate control device comprises a control component, and a transmission output portion of the control component is configured to provide a driving force for the transmission part, and the second transmission portion is mechanically connected to the transmission output portion.

14. The flow rate control device according to claim 5, wherein the pivoting portion is of a cylindrical shape, and the connection portion is of a column shape, and the pivoting portion has an outer perimeter less than an outer perimeter of the connection portion, an outer side of the pivoting portion is pivotally fitted with an inner side of the pivotally fitting portion;

the housing comprises a distribution main body and a cover body, the distribution main body forms part of the mounting chamber, and the second transmission portion extends outwards from the cover body, the pivotally fitting portion is integrally formed on one side of the cover body and protrudes toward the mounting chamber in the vertical direction, the first block portion is integrally formed with an outer circumferential side of the pivotally fitting portion, and the second block portion is integrally formed with the outer circumferential side of the pivotally fitting portion, the position-limiting recess is formed on the outer circumferential side of the pivotally fitting portion, and the position-limiting recess extends to be arranged at a region between the first block portion and the second block portion.

15. The flow rate control device according to claim 2, wherein the accommodating portion and the position-limiting protrusion are complementarily arranged in the housing, and in a direction perpendicular to the first valve plate, a lower surface of the first valve plate is lower than an upper surface of the position-limiting protrusion, and the upper surface of the first valve plate is higher than or flush with the upper surface of the position-limiting portion, a first block portion and a second block portion are respectively formed on two sides of the position-limiting protrusion, the first valve plate has a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion, the first abutment portion is arranged opposite to the first block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, and the second abutment portion is arranged opposite to the second block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, such that the first block portion and the second block portion limit the position of the first valve plate in a circumferential direction.

16. The flow rate control device according to claim 3, wherein the accommodating portion and the position-limiting protrusion are complementarily arranged in the housing, and in a direction perpendicular to the first valve plate, a lower surface of the first valve plate is lower than an upper surface of the position-limiting protrusion, and the upper surface of the first valve plate is higher than or flush with the upper surface of the position-limiting portion, a first block portion and a second block portion are respectively formed on two sides of the position-limiting protrusion, the first valve plate has a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion, the first abutment portion is arranged opposite to the first block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, and the second abutment portion is arranged opposite to the second block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, such that the first block portion and the second block portion limit the position of the first valve plate in a circumferential direction.

17. The flow rate control device according to claim 4, wherein the accommodating portion and the position-limiting protrusion are complementarily arranged in the housing, and in a direction perpendicular to the first valve plate, a lower surface of the first valve plate is lower than an upper surface of the position-limiting protrusion, and the upper surface of the first valve plate is higher than or flush with the upper surface of the position-limiting portion, a first block portion and a second block portion are respectively formed on two sides of the position-limiting protrusion, the first valve plate has a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion, the first abutment portion is arranged opposite to the first block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, and the second abutment portion is arranged opposite to the second block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, such that the first block portion and the second block portion limit the position of the first valve plate in a circumferential direction.

18. The flow rate control device according to claim 5, wherein the accommodating portion and the position-limiting protrusion are complementarily arranged in the housing, and in a direction perpendicular to the first valve plate, a lower surface of the first valve plate is lower than an upper surface of the position-limiting protrusion, and the upper surface of the first valve plate is higher than or flush with the upper surface of the position-limiting portion, a first block portion and a second block portion are respectively formed on two sides of the position-limiting protrusion, the first valve plate has a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion, the first abutment portion is arranged opposite to the first block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, and the second abutment portion is arranged opposite to the second block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, such that the first block portion and the second block portion limit the position of the first valve plate in a circumferential direction.

19. The flow rate control device according to claim 6, wherein the accommodating portion and the position-limiting protrusion are complementarily arranged in the housing, and in a direction perpendicular to the first valve plate, a lower surface of the first valve plate is lower than an upper surface of the position-limiting protrusion, and the upper surface of the first valve plate is higher than or flush with the upper surface of the position-limiting portion, a first block portion and a second block portion are respectively formed on two sides of the position-limiting protrusion, the first valve plate has a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion, the first abutment portion is arranged opposite to the first block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, and the second abutment portion is arranged opposite to the second block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, such that the first block portion and the second block portion limit the position of the first valve plate in a circumferential direction.

20. The flow rate control device according to claim 7, wherein the accommodating portion and the position-limiting protrusion are complementarily arranged in the housing, and in a direction perpendicular to the first valve plate, a lower surface of the first valve plate is lower than an upper surface of the position-limiting protrusion, and the upper surface of the first valve plate is higher than or flush with the upper surface of the position-limiting portion, a first block portion and a second block portion are respectively formed on two sides of the position-limiting protrusion, the first valve plate has a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion, the first abutment portion is arranged opposite to the first block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, and the second abutment portion is arranged opposite to the second block portion of the position-limiting protrusion, such that the first block portion and the second block portion limit the position of the first valve plate in a circumferential direction.