Piezoelectrically actuated fluid valve

• US 7,017,883 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2002
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Company HG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Jungbecker, Johann, Böhm, Jürgen, Bayer, Ronald, Neumann, Ulrich, Viehböck, Ingo
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US10/485,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20040232371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.06, 137/625.44
• US Class Current: 251/129.06
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 27/0052 the element being a brake disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/343 Systems characterised by their lay-out B60T8/349 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/369 Valves using piezoelectric elements in general F16K31/004
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/22 with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/005 Piezoelectric benders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86847 Pivoted valve unit

Abstract

In a piezoelectrically actuated fluid valve the bending transducer includes another bearing point at its second end remote from the immovable bearing and the valve closure member points to the valve seat in a defined partial span width between the two ends of the bending transducer.

Claims

1. Piezoelectrically actuated fluid valve, in particular for an electronically controllable motor vehicle brake system, comprising:

a valve housing opening into which is at least one flow channel, at whose port a valve seat is provided with which a valve closure member is associated that is operable by a piezoelectric bending transducer arranged in the valve housing for opening and closing the valve seat, said bending transducer being configured as a transverse beam that is fixed in the area of its first end in the valve housing by means of an immovable bearing, including an electrical contacting in the area of the immovable bearing for the actuation of the bending transducer, the bending transducer including a movable bearing in the valve housing at its second end remote from the immovable bearing, and in that the valve closure member points to the valve seat in a defined partial span width, preferably at half the span width, between the two ends of the bending transducer, the valve closure member being fitted to a valve tappet whose tappet head, under the effect of a valve spring, is urged against the bending transducer at a defined distance between the immovable and the movable bearing, with said valve tappet close to the valve closure member being centered with regard to the valve seat by means of a guiding sleeve, at which the end of the valve spring remote from the tappet head is supported, wherein the tappet head is adjustable lengthwise by means of a press fit at the valve tappet.

2. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the bending transducer is comprised of several piezoceramic layers being preferably cemented with several subbases that are preferably arranged with several conductor paths on an accommodating plate, with said accommodating plate being supported with its one end on a ramp that is provided at a pan of the valve housing or at a bearing plate inserted into the pan.

3. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the valve housing accommodates in the area of the movable bearing a ramp, on which the bending transducer is supported in a slidable way with its second end remote from the immovable bearing.

4. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the immovable bearing is arranged beside an electrical contact pin that is fixed in the valve housing and extends through an opening in an accommodating plate carrying the bending transducer and several conductor paths.

5. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 4,

wherein the contact pin is arranged and electrically insulated preferably within a glass socket (14), with said contact pin being preferably inserted with glass socket into a first stepped bore of the valve housing that is in alignment with the opening in the accommodating plate.

6. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 5,

wherein in parallel beside the first stepped bore, there is a second stepped bore penetrated by the flow channel and accommodating a valve closure member that is operable by the bending transducer and directed towards a valve seat in the second stepped bore.

7. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 6,

wherein the bending transducer is positioned in a pan of the valve housing that is fluid-tightly closed by a cover, and the bottom of pan is penetrated by the two stepped bores.

8. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 7,

wherein the pan accommodates further bending transducers arranged in parallel side by side, whose conductor paths are electrically contacted by way of one single glass socket.

9. Piezoelectrically actuated fluid valve, in particular for an electronically controllable motor vehicle brake system, comprising:

a valve housing opening into which is at least one flow channel, at whose port a valve seat is provided with which a valve closure member is associated that is operable by a piezoelectric bending transducer arranged in the valve housing for opening and closing the valve seat, said bending transducer being configured as a transverse beam that is fixed in the area of its first end in the valve housing by means of an immovable bearing, including an electrical contacting in the area of the immovable bearing for the actuation of the bending transducer, said bending transducer including an additional bearing point in the valve housing at its second end remote from the immovable bearing, and in that the valve closure member points to the valve seat in a defined partial span width, preferably at half the span width, between the two ends of the bending transducer, said immovable bearing being arranged beside an electrical contact pin that is fixed in the valve housing and extends through an opening in an accommodating plate carrying the bending transducer and several conductor paths, said contact pin being arranged and electrically insulated preferably within a glass socket (14), with said contact pin being inserted with glass socket into a first stepped bore of the valve housing that is in alignment with the opening in the accommodating plate, wherein in parallel beside the first stepped bore, there is a second stepped bore penetrated by the flow channel and accommodating a valve closure member that is operable by the bending transducer and directed towards a valve seat in the second stepped bore.

10. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 9,

wherein the additional bearing point of the bending transducer is configured as a movable bearing.

11. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 9,

wherein the bending transducer is comprised of several piezoceramic layers being preferably cemented with several subbases that are preferably arranged with several conductor paths on an accommodating plate, with said accommodating plate being supported with its one end on a ramp that is provided at a pan of the valve housing or at a bearing plate inserted into the pan.

12. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 9, wherein the valve housing accommodates in the area of the movable bearing a ramp, on which the bending transducer is supported in a slidable way with its second end remote from the immovable bearing.

13. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 9,

wherein the bending transducer is positioned in a pan of the valve housing that is fluid-tightly closed by a cover, and the bottom of pan is penetrated by the two stepped bores.

14. Fluid valve as claimed in claim 13,

wherein the pan accommodates further bending transducers arranged in parallel side by side, whose conductor paths are electrically contacted by way of one single glass socket.

15. A piezoelectrically actuated fluid valve, in particular for an electronically controllable motor vehicle brake system, comprising:

a valve housing opening into which is at least one flow channel, at whose port a valve seat is provided with which a valve closure member is associated that is operable by a piezoelectric bending transducer arranged in the valve housing for opening and closing the valve seat, said bending transducer being configured as a transverse beam having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the transverse beam being fixed in the area of its first end in the valve housing by means of an immovable bearing, including an electrical contacting in the area of the immovable bearing for the actuation of the bending transducer, wherein the bending transducer includes an additional bearing point in the valve housing at its second end remote from the immovable bearing, wherein the valve closure member extends transversely to the bending transducer and engages with the bending transducer at a point substantially midway between said immovable bearing and said additional bearing point.