Valve for a sprinkler system

Abstract

The invention relates to a valve (1) for a system for spraying a cleaning liquid, the valve (1) comprising: - a valve body (3) comprising a hydraulic cavity (5) configured to be fluidically connected to a hydraulic passage (15) of the spraying system and to receive the cleaning liquid, - a plunger (7) configured to move in the hydraulic cavity (5) between an open position, in which it allows the cleaning liquid to enter the hydraulic passage (15), and a closed position, in which it prevents the cleaning liquid from passing through the hydraulic passage (15), - a compressible elastic element (19) comprising a gas, the compressible elastic element being arranged in the hydraulic cavity (5) and configured to be compressed if the cleaning liquid in the valve (1) freezes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of systems for spraying cleaning liquids for motor vehicles, and particularly to valves used in these systems. Background Technology

[0002] Motor vehicles are equipped with systems for spraying cleaning liquids to maintain the vehicle's windshield and allow the driver to see out in the best possible way. Other optical devices, such as sensors, may also require such spraying systems.

[0003] These systems typically include a reservoir for cleaning liquid, a pump, and at least one valve configured to allow or prevent the cleaning liquid from flowing to different spray end pieces or spray nozzles.

[0004] One problem with hydraulic valves placed in the hydraulic passages of a spraying system is the risk of valve failure, which is related to valve frosting. Furthermore, at very low temperatures, the cleaning fluid present in the valve can freeze, causing damage to the valve due to the expansion of water upon freezing, leading to system failure for spraying the cleaning fluid.

[0005] Therefore, in order to avoid such damage to the valve under freezing conditions, it is necessary to find a solution that can protect the solenoid valve in the system for spraying cleaning liquid for motor vehicles under freezing conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, a valve for a system for spraying cleaning liquids is proposed, the valve comprising:

[0007] - A valve body including a hydraulic chamber configured as a hydraulic passage for fluid connection to the spraying system and for receiving cleaning liquid.

[0008] - A plunger configured to displace between an open position and a closed position in a hydraulic chamber, in which it allows cleaning fluid to enter the hydraulic passage and in the closed position it prevents cleaning fluid from entering the hydraulic passage. The valve also includes a compressible elastic element containing gas disposed in the hydraulic chamber and configured to be compressed if the cleaning fluid in the valve freezes.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the compressible elastic element containing gas is a closed-cell foam.

[0010] Closed-cell foam is made from ethylene-propylene-diene monomer "EPDM".

[0011] According to one embodiment, the volume of the foam corresponds to at least 10% of the volume of the hydraulic chamber, particularly 10% of the volume of the hydraulic chamber.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the valve is a solenoid valve, and further includes:

[0013] - Coil (13), which is configured to displace plunger (7) from the closed position to the open position.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the hydraulic chamber includes a first portion surrounded by a coil and a second portion separated from the first portion, wherein a compressible elastic element containing gas is disposed in the second portion of the hydraulic chamber.

[0015] According to one embodiment, a compressible elastic element containing gas is fixed to the plunger.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the plunger includes a first portion configured to contact the valve body in a closed position, wherein a compressible elastic element containing gas is fixed to the plunger at a second portion separate from the first portion.

[0017] The present invention also relates to a system for spraying a cleaning liquid, comprising a liquid reservoir, a pump, at least one end piece for spraying the cleaning liquid, and at least one valve (1) according to one of the above embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a system for spraying cleaning liquid is shown;

[0020] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a solenoid valve in the closed state according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic perspective view of a solenoid valve is shown;

[0022] Figure 4 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a solenoid valve in the open state according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0023] In these figures, the same elements have the same reference numerals. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The following embodiments are examples. Although the description refers to one or more embodiments, this does not necessarily mean that every reference relates to the same embodiment, or that a feature applies only to a single embodiment. Various features of the various embodiments can also be combined or interchanged to create other embodiments.

[0025] The embodiments and examples of the present invention relate to a valve for a system for spraying liquids.

[0026] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of a spraying system 20 is shown, which includes a liquid reservoir 22, a pump 24, and three spray nozzles 26 for spraying a cleaning liquid. These spray nozzles 26 are configured to spray the cleaning liquid, for example, onto the windshield or optical elements of a motor vehicle. The spraying system 20 also includes three valves 1 for controlling the distribution of the cleaning liquid to the spray nozzles 26. The valves 1 are connected to the reservoir 22 via supply hoses 28, and the spray nozzles 26 are connected to the valves 1 via distribution hoses 30.

[0027] Valve 1 is, for example, a solenoid valve including a coil, which, when powered, enables control of the displacement of the plunger, as described in the remainder of the specification. However, the invention is not limited to solenoid valves and can also be applied to other types of valves.

[0028] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of solenoid valve 1 is shown, illustrating its internal components. Figure 3 A perspective view of solenoid valve 1 is shown. (As shown) Figure 1 As shown, the solenoid valve 1 is configured to be installed in the spraying system 20 for spraying cleaning liquid.

[0029] The solenoid valve 1 includes a valve body 3, which includes a hydraulic chamber 5, and a plunger 7 is located in the hydraulic chamber 5. The valve body 3 includes a first part 3a and a second part 3b. The first part 3a includes a coil 13 disposed around the first part 5a of the hydraulic chamber 5. The second part 3b has a first hole 9 corresponding to a fluid inlet hole and a second hole 11 corresponding to a fluid outlet hole, and includes the second part 5b of the hydraulic chamber 5.

[0030] The first port 9 is configured to be attached to a supply hose 28 for a fluid (e.g., a cleaning or rinsing liquid). The supply hose 28 is connected, for example, to a reservoir 22 for a cleaning liquid via a supply pump 24 for supplying the cleaning liquid.

[0031] The second hole 11 is configured to be attached to the spray end piece 26 via the distribution hose 30.

[0032] The solenoid valve 1 also includes a hydraulic passage 15 connecting the first port 9 and the second port 11, the hydraulic passage 15 being fluidly connected to the hydraulic chamber 5, in which the plunger 7 is disposed (therefore the hydraulic passage 15 partially overlaps with the second portion 5b of the hydraulic chamber 5). The hydraulic passage 15 is configured to continue on either side of the solenoid valve 1, particularly via hoses 28, 30, to deliver cleaning fluid from the reservoir 22 to the spray end 26.

[0033] Piston 7 is configured in the open position (e.g.) Figure 4 (as shown) and closing position (as shown) Figure 2The plunger moves between the supply hose 28 and the dispensing hose 30 in the open position, and in the closed position, the plunger prevents the cleaning fluid from passing between the supply hose 28 and the dispensing hose 30.

[0034] The plunger 7 includes a first portion 7a, in this example corresponding to a flexible end, such as an elastomer or rubber end, to allow for a good seal in the closed position. The first portion 7a contacts the wall of the valve body 3 in the closed position to prevent cleaning fluid from flowing through the hydraulic passage 15, that is, through the first hole 9 and the second hole 11. The plunger 7 moves from the closed position to the open position by supplying power to the coil 13 (e.g., above a predetermined voltage threshold). An elastic stress element 17, such as a coil spring, may be disposed between the valve body 3 (or an element fixed relative to the valve body 3) and the plunger 7, and is configured to stress the plunger 7 in the closed position when no power is supplied to the coil 13 (or if the power supply is below the predetermined voltage threshold).

[0035] Furthermore, to prevent damage to the valve body 3 when the cleaning fluid in the hydraulic chamber 5 freezes (e.g., when the external temperature is below 0°C), the solenoid valve 1 also includes a compressible elastic element 19 containing gas, such as air, and disposed within the hydraulic chamber 5. The compressible elastic element 19 is, for example, closed-cell foam and functions like a compressible pad.

[0036] The compressible elastic element 19 is, for example, fixed to the wall of the hydraulic chamber 5 or to the plunger 7. The compressible elastic element 19 is fixed, for example, by adhesive bonding. The compressible elastic element 19 occupies, for example, at least 10% of the volume of the hydraulic chamber 5 (when it is not compressed), which corresponds to the additional volume occupied by ice relative to water. This volume may also be equal to 10% of the chamber volume or even slightly smaller, depending on the cleaning fluid used.

[0037] In the case of solenoid valve 1, compressible elastic element 19 is preferably spaced apart from coil 13, that is, located outside the first part 5a of hydraulic chamber 5 surrounded by coil 13, in order to avoid any interference with the electromagnetic operation of valve 1.

[0038] The compressible elastic element 19 is preferably positioned away from the interface area between components that can move relative to each other, in order to avoid degradation of the compressible elastic element 19 due to mechanical friction caused by contact with various components. When the compressible elastic element is fixed to the plunger 7, the compressible elastic element 19 is fixed, for example, to a second part separate from the first part 7a, particularly to the part of the first part 7a that contacts the wall of the valve body 3.

[0039] The closed-cell foam of the compressible elastic element 19 is made, for example, from ethylene-propylene-diene monomers, which are more commonly referred to as EPDM.

[0040] In this way, if the clean liquid in the valve body 3 freezes, the ice preferentially compresses the compressible elastic element 19, which is more flexible than the wall of the valve body 3 or the plunger 7, thus allowing the plunger 7 to be protected.

[0041] The present invention also relates to a spraying system 20 for spraying cleaning liquid, the spraying system comprising a liquid reservoir 22, a pump 24, at least one spraying end piece 26 for spraying cleaning liquid, and at least one valve 1 as described above.

Claims

1. System (20) for spraying a cleaning liquid, comprising a liquid reservoir (22), a pump (24), at least one end piece (26) for spraying the cleaning liquid and at least one valve (1), the valve (1) comprising: - a valve body (3) comprising a hydraulic chamber (5) configured to be fluidically connected to a hydraulic passage (15) of the spraying system and for receiving the cleaning liquid, - a plunger (7) configured to move in the hydraulic chamber (5) between an open position, in which the plunger allows the cleaning liquid to enter the hydraulic passage (15), and a closed position, in which the plunger prevents the cleaning liquid from passing through the hydraulic passage (15), characterized in that the valve (1) further comprises a compressible elastic element (19) containing a gas, the compressible elastic element being arranged in the hydraulic chamber (5) and being configured to be compressed if the cleaning liquid in the valve (1) freezes.

2. System (20) for spraying a cleaning liquid according to claim 1, wherein, The compressible elastic element (19) containing a gas is a closed-cell foam.

3. System (20) for spraying a cleaning liquid according to claim 2, wherein, The closed-cell foam is made of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer "EPDM".

4. System (20) for spraying a cleaning liquid according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The volume of the foam corresponds to at least 10% of the volume of the hydraulic chamber (5).

5. System (20) for spraying a cleaning liquid according to claim 1, the valve being a solenoid valve, further comprising: - a coil (13) configured to move the plunger (7) from the closed position to the open position.

6. The system (20) for spraying a cleaning liquid according to claim 5, wherein, The hydraulic chamber (5) comprises a first portion (5a) surrounded by the coil (13) and a second portion (5b) separate from the first portion (5a), and wherein the compressible elastic element (19) containing a gas is arranged in the second portion (5b) of the hydraulic chamber (5).

7. The system (20) for spraying a cleaning liquid according to any one of claims 1-3, 5, 6, wherein, The compressible elastic element (19) containing a gas is fixed to the plunger (7).

8. System (20) for spraying a cleaning liquid according to claim 7, wherein, The plunger (7) comprises a first portion (7a) configured to be in contact with the valve body (3) in the closed position, and wherein the compressible elastic element (19) containing a gas is fixed to the plunger (7) at a second portion separate from the first portion (7a).

9. The system (20) for spraying a cleaning liquid according to claim 4, wherein, The volume of the foam corresponds to 10% of the volume of the hydraulic chamber (5).

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