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Low-drag sealing method for thermal management valve

  • US 9,897,217 B2
  • Filed: 05/16/2014
  • Issued: 02/20/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A low-drag seal arrangement for a thermal management valve comprising:

  • a housing having at least one bore for flowing a fluid medium through said at least one bore;

    a rotor configured to rotate relative to said at least one bore between a closed position where the flow of fluid medium through said bore is blocked, an open position where fluid medium flows through said at least one bore and an intermediate position where the flow of fluid medium through said at least one bore is partially blocked by said rotor position relative to said at least one bore;

    a face seal piston positioned within said at least one bore and configured to move axially within said at least one bore, wherein said face seal piston has a portion coated with low-friction material, said portion being in selective engagement with said rotor when said rotor moves to said closed position or said intermediate position, wherein the face seal piston has an inner surface that is smooth and does not have any ridges or grooves;

    a circumferential groove formed in said bore, wherein said circumferential groove circumscribes a portion of said face seal piston when said face seal piston is positioned in said at least one bore;

    a quad-seal located within said circumferential groove for creating a seal between said bore a said face seal piston, wherein said face seal piston slides bi-directionally through said quad-seal as said face seal piston moves within said bore and said quad-seal maintains a sealed connection between said bore and said face seal piston during said axial movement of said face seal piston within said bore, wherein the quad-seal further includes two points of contact with the face seal piston, thereby creating a squeezing effect that centers the face seal piston in the bore;

    a spring seat formed on the at least one bore, such that the spring seat extends into the at least one bore above the face seal piston;

    a spring having one end in contact with said face seal piston and a second end in contact with the spring seat, wherein the spring applies force on the face seal piston in the direction of the rotor; and

    wherein the face seal piston has a reduced diameter portion that reduces a contact area between the face seal piston and rotor, wherein the reduced contact area allows high pressure located above the rotor flowing through the bore toward the rotor to focus the high pressure into the inner diameter of the face seal piston in order to make a more absolute seal between the face seal piston and rotor when the face seal piston is in the closed position.

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