valve

Abstract

This application provides a valve including a valve body, a valve core, and a flow guide. The valve body includes a fluid chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The valve core includes a plug portion movable within the fluid chamber to close or open the fluid inlet, thereby closing or opening the valve. The flow guide is disposed within the fluid chamber and located on the side of the plug portion opposite to the fluid inlet. The flow guide has an opening facing the fluid inlet and a guide cavity formed by inward indentation from the opening. The inner wall of the guide cavity includes a curved surface. The outer contour of the flow guide matches the shape and size of the fluid chamber, such that fluid entering the guide cavity from the fluid inlet through the fluid chamber is guided by the guide cavity and flows out through the fluid outlet. The valve provided by this application is compact and has low flow resistance loss before and after the valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a valve, and more particularly to a solenoid valve used in vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicle air conditioning systems or battery pack cooling systems in new energy vehicles are equipped with a certain number of on / off valves to adjust and control the cooling system according to cooling demands. The cooling requirements of current cooling systems are becoming increasingly complex, increasing the number of connecting pipes and on / off valves in the cooling circuit, thus increasing flow resistance losses and the overall size of the cooling system. Meanwhile, battery pack designs are becoming increasingly compact, and existing on / off valves cannot meet the design requirements of battery packs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a valve that can effectively reduce flow resistance loss and is compact in size, the valve comprising:

[0004] A valve body, the valve body including a fluid chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

[0005] The valve core includes a plug portion that is movable within the fluid chamber to close or open the fluid inlet, thereby closing or opening the valve.

[0006] A flow guide is disposed in the fluid chamber and located on the side of the blockage portion opposite to the fluid inlet. The flow guide has an opening facing the fluid inlet and a guide cavity formed by recessing inward from the opening. The inner wall of the guide cavity includes a curved surface. The outer contour of the flow guide matches the shape and size of the fluid chamber so that fluid entering the fluid chamber from the fluid inlet is guided by the guide cavity and flows out from the fluid outlet.

[0007] According to the valve described above, the flow guide also includes a notch that communicates with the guide cavity and is aligned with the fluid outlet.

[0008] According to the valve described above, the guide cavity has a distal cavity remote from the opening, and the inner wall of the distal cavity includes a spherical surface.

[0009] According to the valve described above, the guide cavity has a proximal cavity near the opening, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the proximal cavity is not greater than the area of ​​the opening.

[0010] According to the valve described above, the area of ​​the opening accounts for more than 90% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid chamber at the opening.

[0011] According to the valve described above, the fluid chamber includes a main body and an inlet, and the main body is cylindrical;

[0012] One end of the inlet portion forms the fluid inlet, and the other end is connected to the main body portion. The inlet portion is a truncated cone shape whose size gradually increases from the fluid inlet.

[0013] According to the valve described above, the outer contour of the flow guide is a cylinder that matches the shape and size of the fluid chamber.

[0014] According to the valve described above, the blocking part has a blocking surface, and a sealing ring is provided on the blocking surface. The sealing ring is formed on the blocking part by a secondary molding process, and the sealing ring can abut against the inlet part.

[0015] According to the valve described above, the valve core further includes a valve stem, the proximal end of which is connected to the blockage portion, and the distal end of which is located outside the fluid chamber. The proximal end is provided with a through hole that extends transversely through the valve stem along its length. When the valve is open, the through hole is aligned with the fluid outlet.

[0016] According to the valve described above, the valve is a solenoid valve, and the valve is applied to the cooling system pipeline or air conditioning system pipeline of a vehicle.

[0017] The valve provided in this application is small in size, and is equipped with a flow guide cover to increase the flow path of the valve core, thereby reducing local pressure loss and improving flow performance. The flow resistance loss before and after the valve is small. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1A This is a perspective view of a valve according to an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A Exploded view of the central valve;

[0020] Figure 2A yes Figure 1B Exploded view of the middle valve body 102;

[0021] Figure 2B yes Figure 1B Cross-sectional view of the valve body 102;

[0022] Figure 3 yes Figure 1B A 3D view of the central valve core;

[0023] Figure 4A for Figure 1B A three-dimensional view of the central fairing 105;

[0024] Figure 4B for Figure 4A A three-dimensional view of the central fairing 105 from another angle;

[0025] Figure 5A yes Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of the valve when it is closed;

[0026] Figure 5B yes Figure 1B A cross-sectional view of the valve in the open position. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Various specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification. It should be understood that although directional terms such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used herein to describe various exemplary structural parts and elements, their use is merely for ease of description and is based on the exemplary orientations shown in the drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed herein can be arranged in different orientations, these directional terms are illustrative and should not be considered limiting. Where possible, the same or similar reference numerals used herein refer to the same parts.

[0028] Figure 1A This is a perspective view of a valve according to one embodiment of this application. Figure 1B yes Figure 1A An exploded view of the central valve, as shown below. Figure 1A and Figure 1B As shown, valve 100 includes a valve body 102, a valve core 103, a flow guide 105, and a valve core spring 107. The valve core 103 is disposed within the valve body 102 and is movable within the valve body 102 to open or close the valve. The flow guide 105 is disposed within the valve body 102 and is used to guide the flow direction of fluid within the valve 100. The valve core spring 107 is disposed between the valve body 102 and the valve core 103 and is used for resetting the valve core 103. In this embodiment, valve 100 is a solenoid valve.

[0029] Figure 2A yes Figure 1B Exploded view of the middle valve body 102. Figure 2B yes Figure 1B Cross-sectional view of the valve body 102. (See figure) Figure 2AAs shown in Figure 2B, the valve body 102 includes an upper valve body 201 and a lower valve body 202. The upper valve body 201 includes an upper main body 211, a connecting portion 212, and a wiring portion 213. The upper main body 211 is generally cylindrical and has an upper end 215 and a lower end 217. The wiring portion 213 is arranged side by side with the upper main body 211. The lower part of the wiring portion 213 is connected to the outside of the lower end 217, and there is a certain gap between the upper part of the wiring portion 213 and the upper main body 211. The wiring portion 213 is provided with several holes, which can be connected to the lower valve body 202 by multiple screws 219. The upper main body 211 has an upper cavity 230 formed by recessing inward from the lower surface 220 of the upper main body 211 for accommodating a part of the valve core 103. The upper cavity 230 forms an upper cavity opening 261 on the lower surface 220 of the upper main body 211. A coil 232 is provided inside the upper part 201 of the valve body, and the coil 232 is located around the upper cavity 230. A wiring part 213 is provided on one side of the upper body 211 for connection with the circuit.

[0030] The lower part 202 includes a lower body 221, an inlet connection 224, and an outlet connection 225. The inlet connection 224 and the outlet connection 225 are connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, respectively. The lower body 221 is generally cubic and has an upper part 241, a lower part 242, a front part 243, a rear part 244, a left part 245, and a right part 246. The lower body 221 has a hollow cavity 249, which forms a fluid chamber 250. The fluid chamber 250 extends toward and through the upper part 241, thereby forming a communication port 251. The communication port 251 is matched in size and shape with the opening 261 of the upper cavity, and when the upper part 201 and the lower part 202 of the valve body are connected, the communication port 251 is aligned with the opening 261 of the upper cavity, so that the fluid chamber 250 communicates with the upper cavity 230. The fluid chamber 250 extends toward and through the lower portion 242, forming a fluid inlet 254, which communicates with the inlet connection 224. The fluid chamber 250 also extends toward and through the rear portion 246, forming a fluid outlet 255, which communicates with the outlet connection 225. The fluid chamber 250 includes a main body 271 and an inlet 272. The main body 271 is generally cylindrical, and its axial direction is aligned with the direction defined by the lower main body 221 from the upper portion to the lower portion 242. One end of the inlet 272 forms the fluid inlet 254, and the other end connects to the main body 271. The inner diameter of the fluid inlet 254 is smaller than the inner diameter of the main body 271, causing the inlet 272 to extend outward at an angle, forming a slope 275. The shape of the inlet 272 is generally a truncated cone, gradually increasing in size from the fluid inlet 254.

[0031] The inlet connector 224 is a hollow tube and includes a front portion 281 and a transition portion 282. The front portion 281 extends along a direction generally parallel to the lower portion 242 of the lower body 221 and is used to connect to the inlet pipe. One end of the transition portion 282 is connected to the lower portion 242 of the lower body 221, and the other end is connected to the front portion 281, so that the inner cavity of the inlet connector 224 communicates with the fluid chamber 250 through the fluid inlet 254. The transition portion 282 is used to change the direction of the fluid in the front portion 281 and send it into the fluid chamber 250 through the fluid inlet 254. The inner wall of the transition portion 282 includes a rounded arc surface to reduce fluid resistance loss. The outlet connector 225 is a hollow tube and extends from the fluid outlet 255 along a direction generally parallel to the lower portion 242 of the lower body 221, and is used to connect to the outlet pipe. In this embodiment, the extending direction of the front portion 281 of the inlet connection 224 forms a 90° angle with the extending direction of the outlet connection 225. In other embodiments, the extending direction of the front portion 281 of the inlet connection 224 and the extending direction of the outlet connection 225 may be set to a 180° angle, or the extending directions of the front portion 281 of the inlet connection 224 and the extending directions of the outlet connection 225 may be aligned. The cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet connection 224 in the flow direction is approximately the same as the area of ​​the fluid inlet 254. The cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet connection 225 in the flow direction is approximately the same as the area of ​​the fluid outlet 255.

[0032] Figure 3 yes Figure 1B A 3D view of the valve core, as shown below. Figure 3As shown, the valve core 103 includes a valve stem 301 and a plug 302. The valve stem 301 has a proximal end 311 and a distal end 312, wherein the proximal end 311 is connected to the plug 302, and the distal end 312 is disposed in the upper cavity 230 of the valve body. The valve stem 301 includes an upper section 322, a middle section 323, and a lower section 321, wherein the upper section 322 is located near the distal end 312, and the lower section 321 is located near the proximal end 311. The diameter of the upper section 322 is smaller than the diameter of the middle section 323, thereby forming a stepped surface 339 at the connection between the upper section 322 and the middle section 323, which is used to cooperate with the valve core spring. The middle section 323 includes an iron core for cooperating with a coil to realize the control of the solenoid valve. The upper end of the lower section 321 is connected to the middle section 323, and the lower end is connected to the plug 302. The outer diameter of the upper end of the lower segment 321 is smaller than the outer diameter of the lower end of the lower segment 321, and the outer surface of the lower segment 321 transitions smoothly from top to bottom. The lower segment 321 has a through hole 340, which extends transversely to the length of the valve stem 301. In the axial section of the valve stem 301, the through hole 340 is approximately elliptical. The diameter of the plug portion 302 gradually decreases downward from the connection between the plug portion 302 and the lower segment 321, and the outer contour of the plug portion 302 is approximately part of a sphere. The outer surface of the plug portion 302 forms a plugging surface 329, which is close to a sphere. The plugging surface 329 can mate with the inclined surface 275 of the valve body. An annular sealing ring 331 is provided on the plugging surface, and the annular sealing ring 331 is close to the connection between the plug portion 302 and the lower segment 321. The sealing ring 331 is made of an elastic material (e.g., rubber) and is molded onto the plug portion 302 by a secondary molding process.

[0033] In one embodiment of this application, the through hole 340 is configured to face the fluid outlet 255, so that the fluid in the fluid chamber 250 can flow to the fluid outlet 255 as quickly as possible through the through hole 340, thereby reducing the flow resistance of the fluid. However, during use, even if the valve core 103 rotates, so that the through hole 340 cannot directly face the fluid outlet 255, the purpose of reducing the flow resistance of the fluid can still be achieved to a certain extent.

[0034] In one embodiment of this application, the height of the through-hole 340 in the axial direction of the valve stem 301 is not less than the height of the fluid outlet 255. When the valve is in the open state, the through-hole 340 is aligned with the fluid outlet 255. The through-hole 340 increases the flow area of ​​the fluid in the fluid chamber 250 as it flows through the valve core 103, thereby reducing the flow resistance of the fluid.

[0035] Figure 4A for Figure 1B A 3D view of the fairing 105. Figure 4B for Figure 4A Another perspective view of the central fairing 105, as shown below. Figure 4A and Figure 4BAs shown, the outer contour of the flow guide 105 is approximately cylindrical, and the outer diameter of the flow guide 105 roughly matches the inner diameter of the fluid chamber 250. The height of the flow guide 105 is less than the height of the fluid chamber 250. The flow guide 105 has an upper surface 401, a lower surface 402, and a side wall 419. The lower surface 402 has an opening 415, the diameter of which is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the flow guide 105. That is, the outer side of the opening 415 is close to the connection between the lower surface 402 and the side wall 419 of the flow guide 105. The flow guide 105 has a guide cavity 430 formed by a recess from the opening 415. The inner wall of the guide cavity 430 is surrounded by multiple curved surfaces, thus creating a smooth and rounded transition in the inner wall of the guide cavity 430. The upper surface 401 of the flow guide 105 is provided with a valve stem opening 435, which communicates with the guide cavity 430. The inner diameter of the valve stem opening 435 matches the outer diameter of the middle section 323 of the valve stem 301, allowing the valve stem 301 to pass through the flow guide shroud 105 and move relative to it. The sidewall 419 of the flow guide shroud 105 has a notch 437 that communicates with the guide cavity 430. The notch 437 extends upward from the lower surface 402, thus communicating with the opening 415. The notch 437 is approximately semi-circular, and its shape matches the shape of the upper portion of the fluid outlet 255. There is a certain distance between the notch 437 and the upper surface 401 of the flow guide shroud 105.

[0036] In one embodiment of this application, the guide cavity 430 includes a proximal cavity 441, a middle cavity 442, and a distal cavity 443. The proximal cavity 441 is near the opening 415, the distal cavity 443 is near the valve stem opening 415, and the middle cavity 442 is located between the proximal cavity and the distal cavity 443. The inner walls of the proximal cavity 441, the middle cavity 442, and the distal cavity 443 each include one or more spherical segments. The curvature of each spherical segment in the proximal cavity 441, the middle cavity 442, and the distal cavity 443 may be different, or some of the spherical segments may have the same curvature. A smooth transition is formed at the junction of the inner wall of the proximal cavity 441 and the inner wall of the middle cavity 442, and a smooth transition is formed at the junction of the inner wall of the middle cavity 442 and the inner wall of the distal cavity 443, so that the inner walls of the guide cavity 430 are all continuous and smooth in shape. The top of the proximal cavity 441 is higher than the top of the notch 437.

[0037] In other embodiments of this application, the guide cavity may include two or more segments, each segment forming a smooth transition with adjacent segments, such that the inner wall of the guide cavity is a continuous, smooth shape. In yet another embodiment of this application, the guide cavity is a hemispherical segment.

[0038] In this application, the inner diameter of the guide cavity 430 generally tends to decrease from the opening 415 towards the valve stem opening 415, but it is not a strictly gradual decrease. For example, there are sections in the middle cavity 442 and the distal cavity 443 where the inner diameter first increases and then decreases. The smooth inner wall of the guide cavity 430 can guide the fluid to gently change its flow direction toward the fluid outlet 255, reducing resistance losses caused by sudden changes in flow direction.

[0039] Figure 5A yes Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of the valve when it is closed. Figure 5B yes Figure 1B A cross-sectional view of the valve in the open position. (Example) Figure 5A As shown, a flow guide shroud 105 is disposed within the fluid chamber 250. The upper surface 401 of the flow guide shroud 105 is connected to the inner wall of the top of the fluid chamber 250, and the side wall 419 of the flow guide shroud 105 is connected to the inner wall of the side portion of the fluid chamber 250. The area of ​​the opening 415 is slightly smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid chamber 250 at the opening 415. In one embodiment, the area of ​​the opening 415 accounts for more than 90% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid chamber 250 at the opening 415. In another embodiment, the area of ​​the opening 415 accounts for more than 95% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid chamber 250 at the opening 415. Thus, most of the fluid in the fluid chamber 250 can smoothly enter the guide cavity 430, and abrupt changes in flow velocity are less likely to occur. The height of the flow guide shroud 105 is approximately half the height of the fluid chamber 250, and the lower surface of the flow guide shroud 105 is approximately flush with the middle of the fluid chamber 250. The upper surface 401 of the flow guide shroud 105 is connected to the inner wall of the top of the fluid chamber 250, so that the opening 415 faces the fluid inlet 254, and there is a certain distance between the opening 415 and the fluid inlet 254. The notch 437 is aligned with the fluid outlet 255, and the shape of the notch 437 matches the shape of the upper half of the fluid outlet 255, so that the liquid in the guide cavity 430 can flow smoothly out of the fluid outlet 255. The valve core 103 is located in the valve body 102, and the valve stem 301 passes through the valve stem opening 435 of the flow guide shroud 105 from bottom to top, so that the distal end 312 of the valve stem 301 is located in the upper cavity 230, and the proximal end 311 of the valve stem 301 is located in the fluid chamber 250. One end of the spring 107 abuts against the inner wall of the top of the upper cavity 230, and the other side abuts against the stepped surface 339 at the connection between the upper section 322 and the middle section 323 of the valve stem 301. In the closed position of the valve as shown in the figure, the spring 107 is compressed. The elastic force of the spring 107 causes the valve core 103 to tend to move downward, thereby causing the blocking part 302 to abut against the inclined surface 275 of the fluid chamber 250. The sealing ring 331 on the blocking surface 329 of the blocking part 302 contacts the inclined surface 275 to form a seal, thereby closing the fluid inlet 254 and preventing fluid in the inlet connection from entering the fluid chamber 250.

[0040] When valve 100 needs to be opened, such as Figure 5B As shown, the control device sends a signal to valve 100, changing the current in the coil. This causes coil 232 to engage with the iron core. When the current changes, the coil generates an electromagnetic force. This electromagnetic force overcomes the elastic force exerted by spring 107 on valve core 103, causing valve core 103 to move away from fluid inlet 254 until a certain distance is formed between the blockage part 302 and fluid inlet 254. At this point, the elastic force of the spring and the electromagnetic force on valve core 103 cancel each other out, and valve core 103 remains stationary. Figure 5B The valve is in the open position as shown. At this time, fluid can enter the fluid chamber 250 through the gap between the blockage part 302 and the fluid inlet 254. In the open state, the through hole 340 on the valve stem 301 is aligned with the fluid outlet. The fluid entering the fluid chamber 250 from the fluid inlet 254 moves towards the opening 415 of the guide shroud 105. Specifically, some fluid in the fluid chamber 250 flows directly out through the fluid outlet 255, some fluid enters the guide cavity 430 and is guided by the guide cavity 430 before flowing out through the fluid outlet 255, and some fluid enters the through hole 340 and then flows out through the fluid outlet 255.

[0041] In 1A and Figure 5B In the illustrated embodiment, the diameter of the fluid chamber 250 is larger than the diameter of the fluid inlet 254. In the cross-section along the fluid flow direction, the difference between the area of ​​the fluid chamber 250 and the area of ​​the valve core 103 is equal to or close to the area of ​​the fluid inlet 254. This prevents the flow velocity of the fluid entering the fluid chamber 250 from the fluid inlet 254 from being rapidly changed, thereby reducing flow resistance loss to a certain extent. The through-hole 340 facilitates some fluid flowing directly from the fluid chamber 250 into the fluid outlet 255, further reducing flow resistance loss. The guide shield 105 has a smooth inner surface and a notch 437 that matches the shape of the fluid outlet 255, guiding the fluid towards the fluid outlet 254 and preventing the fluid entering the fluid chamber 250 from directly impacting the angular inner wall of the fluid chamber 250, thus reducing flow resistance loss. The valve 100 in this embodiment is small in size and has low flow resistance. In one embodiment, the valve in this application has a flow resistance of less than 6 kPa at a flow rate of 1080 L / h.

[0042] The valve in this application is a solenoid valve, which can be applied to the cooling system piping or air conditioning system piping of a vehicle. It is suitable for fluids within a certain flow range, such as fluids with a flow range of 0-2000 L / h, and particularly suitable for fluids with a flow range of 0-1200 L / h. The valve in this application maintains a small volume while meeting flow resistance requirements, thus adapting to the volume constraints of vehicle interiors.

[0043] Although only some features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations that fall within the essential spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A valve, characterized in that... include: A valve body, the valve body including a fluid chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; The valve core includes a plug portion that is movable within the fluid chamber to close or open the fluid inlet, thereby closing or opening the valve. A flow guide is disposed in the fluid chamber and located on the side of the blockage portion opposite to the fluid inlet. The flow guide has an opening facing the fluid inlet and a guide cavity formed by inward indentation from the opening. The inner wall of the guide cavity includes a curved surface. The outer contour of the flow guide matches the shape and size of the fluid chamber so that fluid entering the guide cavity from the fluid inlet through the fluid chamber is guided by the guide cavity and flows out from the fluid outlet. The guide cavity has a proximal cavity near the opening, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the proximal cavity is not greater than the area of ​​the opening.

2. The valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The flow guide also includes a notch that communicates with the guide cavity and is aligned with the fluid outlet.

3. The valve as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The guide cavity has a distal cavity remote from the opening, and the inner wall of the distal cavity includes a spherical surface.

4. The valve as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The area of ​​the opening accounts for more than 90% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the fluid chamber at the opening.

5. The valve as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The fluid chamber includes a main body and an inlet, and the main body is cylindrical. One end of the inlet portion forms the fluid inlet, and the other end is connected to the main body portion. The inlet portion is a truncated cone shape whose size gradually increases from the fluid inlet.

6. The valve as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The outer contour of the flow guide is cylindrical, matching the shape and size of the fluid chamber.

7. The valve as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The blocking part has a blocking surface, and a sealing ring is provided on the blocking surface. The sealing ring is formed on the blocking surface by a secondary molding process, and the sealing ring can abut against the inlet.

8. The valve as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that: The valve core also includes a valve stem, the proximal end of which is connected to the blockage portion, and the distal end of which is located outside the fluid chamber. The proximal end is provided with a through hole that extends transversely through the valve stem along its length. When the valve is open, the through hole is aligned with the fluid outlet.

9. The valve as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The valve is a solenoid valve, and it is used in the cooling system piping or air conditioning system piping of a vehicle.

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