Multi-way valve for a motor vehicle and method for operating a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a multiple valve (2) for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (4) in which a lower chamber and an upper chamber (6, 8) are arranged one above the other along a rotational axis (10) and are separated from one another by a partition wall (12), a lower valve body (14) which is arranged rotatably about the rotational axis (10) in the lower chamber (6), an upper valve body (16) which is arranged rotatably about the rotational axis (10) in the upper chamber (8), and a drive shaft (18) for driving the lower and upper valve bodies (14, 16), wherein the drive shaft (18) is connected in a torque-transmitting manner to one of the two valve bodies (16) and this valve body (16) is connected in a torque-transmitting manner to the other of the two valve bodies (14), wherein the multiple valve (2) has a checking device (20) for checking the correct positioning of the lower valve body (14) in the circumferential direction relative to the upper valve body (16), and a reaction to an incorrect positioning can be triggered automatically in the event of an incorrect relative positioning of the two valve bodies (14, 16) in the circumferential direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a multi-way valve for motor vehicles, and a method for operating a multi-way valve for motor vehicles.

[0002] Slide technology

[0003] Such multi-way valves for motor vehicles and their operating methods are known from the prior art in many implementation variations. Known multi-way valves for motor vehicles include: a housing in which lower and upper chambers are stacked vertically along a rotation axis and substantially sealed to each other by a partition wall; a lower valve body rotatably arranged about the rotation axis in the lower chamber; an upper valve body rotatably arranged about the rotation axis in the upper chamber; and a drive shaft for automatically driving the lower and upper valve bodies, wherein the drive shaft is torque-transmittingly connected to one of the two valve bodies, and the valve body is torque-transmittingly connected to the other of the two valve bodies.

[0004] This is the beginning of the invention. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to improve a multi-way valve for motor vehicles and a method for operating a multi-way valve for motor vehicles.

[0006] This objective is achieved by a multi-way valve for motor vehicles, characterized in that the multi-way valve has a checking device for checking the correct circumferential positioning of the lower valve body relative to the upper valve body, and for automatically triggering a response to any detected incorrect circumferential positioning of the two valve bodies. Furthermore, this objective is achieved by a method for operating the multi-way valve for motor vehicles.

[0007] The main advantage of this invention lies particularly in the improvement of the multi-way valve for motor vehicles and the method for operating the multi-way valve for motor vehicles. Due to the construction according to the invention of the multi-way valve for motor vehicles and the method for operating the multi-way valve for motor vehicles, mechanical damage to the multi-way valve according to the invention can be reliably determined, particularly in valve bodies driven only indirectly by a valve body directly driven by a drive shaft. Such mechanical damage can be, for example, a failure of the form-locking and / or force-locking connection between the indirectly driven valve body and the valve body directly driven by a drive shaft.

[0008] In principle, the multi-way valve for motor vehicles according to the invention can be freely selected within a wide range of suitable limits according to its type, function, material, and size. For example, the multi-way valve for motor vehicles according to the invention can be advantageously used in the cooling system of electric vehicles.

[0009] An advantageous extension of the multi-way valve according to the invention specifies that the inspection device has a controller and a sensor connected to the controller in a signal-transmitting manner for automatically determining the actual rotation angle when the two valve bodies rotate from a first end position to a second end position, wherein the actual rotation angle is compared in the controller with a previously determined nominal rotation angle when the two valve bodies rotate about a rotation axis, and wherein the actual rotation angle corresponds to the nominal rotation angle when the two valve bodies are correctly positioned relative to each other in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the presence of mechanical damage can be prevented in a particularly simple and reliable manner in the multi-way valve according to the invention.

[0010] A particularly advantageous extension of the multi-way valve according to the invention specifies that the inspection device includes a lower slide block-slide joint arranged on the partition wall and the lower valve body, and an upper slide block-slide joint arranged on the partition wall and the upper valve body. In this way, the inspection device of the multi-way valve according to the invention can be implemented in a particularly simple and robust manner in terms of structure and manufacturing technology.

[0011] An advantageous extension of the above-described embodiment of the multi-way valve according to the invention specifies that the grooves of the two slider-slide pairs are arranged offset from each other in the circumferential direction, such that the position of the first end is mechanically determined by one of the slider-slide pairs, and the position of the second end is mechanically determined by the other slider-slide pair. Thus, the mechanical structure of the inspection device for the multi-way valve according to the invention is achieved in a very simple manner.

[0012] An advantageous extension of the last mentioned embodiment of the multi-way valve according to the invention specifies a nominal rotation angle of 180°, wherein each groove of the two slider-groove pairs allows a rotation angle range greater than 180°. This rotation angle is particularly suitable for applications of the multi-way valve according to the invention.

[0013] Another advantageous extension of the multi-way valve according to the invention specifies that the housing has a housing sleeve, wherein the lower and upper opening ends of the housing sleeve can be substantially sealed by a lower housing cover and an upper housing cover, wherein a drive shaft opening for the drive shaft to pass through is arranged in one of the housing covers. In this way, the housing can be implemented in a structurally and technically simple manner.

[0014] In another advantageous extension of the multi-way valve according to the invention, the drive shaft is constructed as an integral part of the lower or upper valve body. This further simplifies the structure and manufacture of the multi-way valve according to the invention.

[0015] In another advantageous extension of the multi-way valve according to the invention, a valve body, which is torque-transmittingly connected to a drive shaft, is mechanically connected to another valve body via a coupler to transmit torque. The coupler has a lower coupler portion disposed on a lower valve body and an upper coupler portion disposed on an upper valve body, and either the lower or upper coupler portion protrudes through a coupler opening in a partition wall. Preferably, the lower coupler portion is constructed as an integral part of the lower valve body and / or the upper coupler portion is constructed as an integral part of the upper valve body. In this way, the torque-transmitting connection between the two valve bodies for common rotation about a rotation axis can be achieved very simply. This is particularly suitable for the preferred embodiment of this extension.

[0016] Another advantageous extension of the multi-way valve according to the invention specifies that a separate seal is arranged between the housing and the lower valve body and / or the upper valve body, and / or between the housing sleeve and the lower housing cover and / or the upper housing cover, and / or between the drive shaft and the lower housing cover or the upper housing cover, and / or between the partition wall and the lower coupler portion or the upper coupler portion. This greatly simplifies, on the one hand, the sealing of the multi-way valve according to the invention against the free environment, and on the other hand, the sealing of the various components of the multi-way valve according to the invention that move relative to each other. It also allows for better matching of the corresponding seals to the requirements of the respective individual cases. For example, this applies to the selection of materials. However, in principle, it is possible that the aforementioned seals are at least partially constructed as an integral part of one of the aforementioned components of the multi-way valve according to the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying general schematic diagram. In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 A cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a multi-way valve for motor vehicles according to the present invention is shown; Figure 2a The diagram shows a sectional bottom view (above the plane of the diagram) and a sectional top view (below the plane of the diagram) of the partition wall in this embodiment, with the two valve bodies in the first end position; Figure 2b The diagram shows a sectional bottom view (above the plane of the diagram) and a sectional top view (below the plane of the diagram) of the partition wall in this embodiment, with the two valve bodies in the second end position; Figure 3a An exploded cross-sectional view of this embodiment is shown; Figure 3b The embodiment shown is related to Figure 3a Corresponding exploded view; Figure 4a This embodiment is shown in a first perspective exploded view; and Figure 4b A second perspective exploded view of this embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Figures 1 to 4b An embodiment of a multi-way valve for motor vehicles according to the present invention is shown only by way of example.

[0019] A multi-way valve 2 for a cooling system (not shown in detail) for an electric vehicle includes: a housing 4 in which a lower chamber 6 and an upper chamber 8 are stacked vertically along a rotation axis 10 and substantially sealed apart from each other by a partition wall 12; a lower valve body 14 rotatably arranged about the rotation axis 10 in the lower chamber 6; an upper valve body 16 rotatably arranged about the rotation axis 10 in the upper chamber 8; and a drive shaft 18 for automatically driving the lower valve body 14 and the upper valve body 16, wherein the drive shaft 18 is torque-transmittingly connected to the upper valve body 16, and the upper valve body 16 is torque-transmittingly connected to the lower valve body 14. In this embodiment, the drive shaft 18 is constructed as an integral part of the upper valve body 16.

[0020] According to the present invention, the multi-way valve 2 has a checking device 20 for checking the correct circumferential positioning of the lower valve body 14 relative to the upper valve body 16. Based on any incorrect relative positioning of the two valve bodies 14, 16 in the circumferential direction, a response to the detected incorrect positioning can be automatically triggered.

[0021] The inspection device 20 has a controller (not shown) and a sensor (also not shown) connected to the controller in a signal transmission manner for automatically determining the actual rotation angle when the two valve bodies 14, 16 rotate from a first end position to a second end position, wherein the actual rotation angle is compared in the controller with a previously determined nominal rotation angle when the two valve bodies 14, 16 rotate about the rotation axis 10, and wherein the actual rotation angle corresponds to the nominal rotation angle when the two valve bodies 14, 16 are correctly positioned relative to each other in the circumferential direction.

[0022] The inspection device 20 also includes lower slider-slide assemblies 22 and 24 arranged on the partition wall 12 and the lower valve body 14, and upper slider-slide assemblies 26 and 28 arranged on the partition wall 12 and the upper valve body 16. The lower slider-slide assemblies 22 and 24 include a slider 22 integrally formed on the lower valve body 14 and a slide 24 formed as a groove in the partition wall 12. The upper slider-slide assemblies 26 and 28 include a slider 26 integrally formed on the upper valve body 16 and a slide 28 formed as a groove in the partition wall 12. See here specifically... Figure 1 .

[0023] In this embodiment, the grooves 24 and 28 of the two slider-groove pairs 22, 24; 26, 28 are arranged circumferentially offset from each other, such that the position of the first end is mechanically determined by means of the lower slider-groove pair 22, 24 and the position of the second end is mechanically determined by means of the upper slider-groove pair 26, 28. See in particular... Figure 2a and2b The second end position is here via... Figure 2a The second slider-groove pair 26, 28, shown above the plane of the drawing, is mechanically defined, while the slider 22 in the groove 24 is as follows: Figure 2a The figure below shows that it is not yet attached to one of the two ends of the slide 24. The first end position here is via... Figure 2b The first slider-slide joint 22, 24 shown below the plane of the figure is mechanically fixed, while the slider 26 in the slide 28 is as follows: Figure 2b The plane above the figure is not yet attached to one of the two ends of the slide 28.

[0024] As from Figure 2a and 2b As can be seen from the combined display, the nominal rotation angle here is 180°, where each of the two slider-slide pairs 22, 24; 26, 28 allows a rotation angle range greater than 180°.

[0025] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the housing 4 has a housing sleeve 30, wherein the lower opening end and the upper opening end of the housing sleeve 30 can be substantially sealed by means of a lower housing cover 32 and an upper housing cover 34, wherein a drive shaft opening 36 for the drive shaft 18 to pass through is arranged in the upper housing cover 34.

[0026] The upper valve body 16, which is torque-transmittingly connected to the drive shaft 18, is mechanically connected to the lower valve body 14 via a coupler 38 for torque transmission. The coupler 38 has a lower coupler portion 40 disposed on the lower valve body 14 and an upper coupler portion 42 disposed on the upper valve body 16. The upper coupler portion 42 extends through a coupler opening 44 in the partition wall 12. The lower coupler portion 40 is integrally formed with the lower valve body 14, i.e., it is configured as a receiving portion, while the upper coupler portion 42 is integrally formed with the upper valve body 16, i.e., it is configured as a protrusion. See in particular... Figure 3a .

[0027] Seals are respectively arranged between the housing 4 and the lower valve body 14 and the upper valve body 16, between the housing sleeve 30 and the lower valve body cover 32 and the upper valve body cover 34, between the drive shaft 18 and the upper valve body cover 34, and between the partition wall 18 and the upper coupler portion 42. The seals here can, for example, be constructed as an integral part of one of the aforementioned components of the multi-way valve 2. Figure 1 , 3a Seals 46 and 48 are shown purely exemplarily in 4a and 4b.

[0028] In the following text, the functions of the multi-way valve according to the invention and the method according to the invention are described in this embodiment. Figures 1 to 4b Detailed explanation.

[0029] First, the two valve bodies 14 and 16 of the multi-way valve 2 are located in Figure 2a The second end position is shown in the diagram. As described above, this second end position is mechanically determined by the upper slider-slide joints 26 and 28. See [reference needed] for details. Figure 2a The diagram above shows the lower valve body 14. Although the lower valve body 14 is theoretically referenced due to the lower slider-slide joint 22, 24... Figure 2a The diagram below can continue to rotate counterclockwise. However, this is prevented by the mechanical mechanism described above, which utilizes the upper slider-slide pair 26, 28.

[0030] If the two valve bodies 14, 16 of the multi-way valve 2 are now moved from their second end position to their first end position via the drive shaft 18, then the slider 22 refers to Figure 2b The lower part of the diagram moves clockwise in the slide 24 until the slider 22 abuts against the end of the slide 24 corresponding to the first end position. (See diagram below.) Figure 2b As can be seen in the diagram above, it is possible that the upper valve body 16, due to the upper slider-slide groove pair 26, 28, theoretically refers to... Figure 2b The diagram above can continue to rotate clockwise. However, this is prevented by the mechanical determination described above using the lower slider-slide pair 22, 24.

[0031] The multi-way valve 2 is mechanically perfect, and the actual rotation angles of the two valve bodies 14 and 16 as they rotate around the rotation axis 10, as determined by sensors, correspond to the nominal rotation angle, i.e., 180°. Therefore, the controller (which compares the actual rotation angles measured in the controller with the nominal rotation angles) will not detect any deviation in the relative positioning of the two valve bodies in the circumferential direction.

[0032] Therefore, in the event of a deviation, i.e., when the lower valve body 14 rotates circumferentially relative to the upper valve body 16 about the rotation axis 10, due to the aforementioned mechanical construction of the inspection device 20, it is possible that the two valve bodies 14, 16 rotate more than 180° about the rotation axis 10. Correspondingly, the sensor will detect an actual rotation angle greater than 180°, and this actual rotation angle will not match the nominal rotation angle of 180° stored in the controller. Based on the incorrect relative positioning of the two valve bodies 14, 16 in the circumferential direction identified in the above manner, a response to the detected incorrect positioning will be automatically triggered by the controller. For example, the response to the detected incorrect positioning could be the output of an error message that can be perceived optically and / or acoustically by the user, i.e., the driver of the electric vehicle. It is also conceivable that the function of the electric vehicle may be automatically limited or prevented due to the detected incorrect positioning.

[0033] Because of the construction according to the invention of the multi-way valve 2 for motor vehicles and the method for operating the multi-way valve 2 for motor vehicles, mechanical damage to the multi-way valve 2 according to the invention can be reliably determined, for example, in the lower valve body 14 driven only indirectly through the upper valve body 16 driven directly by the drive shaft 18. Such mechanical damage may, for example, be a failure of the form-locking and / or force-locking connection between the lower valve body 14 and the upper valve body 16 driven directly by the drive shaft 18.

[0034] This invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the invention can also be advantageously used in other types of motor vehicles.

[0035] Unlike this embodiment of the multi-way valve according to the invention, other embodiments of the invention may specify the arrangement of a separate seal between the housing and the lower valve body and / or the upper valve body, and / or between the housing sleeve and the lower housing cover and / or the upper housing cover, and / or between the drive shaft and the lower housing cover or the upper housing cover, and / or between the partition wall and the lower coupler portion or the upper coupler portion. Thus, alternatively, the multi-way valve according to the invention ensures sealing against the free environment on the one hand, and sealing of the relatively movable components of the multi-way valve according to the invention on the other hand. It is also possible that the corresponding seals are better suited to the requirements of the specific individual cases. This applies, for example, to the selection of materials.

[0036] List of reference numerals

[0037] 2. Multi-way valve

[0038] 4. Shell

[0039] 6. Inferior chamber

[0040] 8. Upper chamber

[0041] 10 Rotation axis

[0042] 12 partition walls

[0043] 14 Lower valve body

[0044] 16 Upper Valve Body

[0045] 18 drive shafts

[0046] 20 Inspection device

[0047] 22 sliders

[0048] 24 Slides

[0049] 26 sliders

[0050] 28 Slide

[0051] 30 Housing 4 housing cover

[0052] 32. Lower housing cover of housing 4

[0053] 34. Upper housing cover of housing 4

[0054] 36 Drive shaft opening

[0055] 38 Couplers

[0056] 40 Lower coupler section of coupler 38

[0057] 42. Upper coupler section of coupler 38

[0058] 44 Coupler opening

[0059] 46. ​​Seals

[0060] 48 Seals

Claims

1. A multi-way valve (2) for motor vehicles, comprising: The housing (4) comprises a lower chamber (6) and an upper chamber (8) arranged vertically and horizontally along a rotation axis (10) and substantially sealed to each other by a partition wall (12); a lower valve body (14) rotatably arranged about the rotation axis (10) in the lower chamber (6); an upper valve body (16) rotatably arranged about the rotation axis (10) in the upper chamber (8); and a drive shaft (18) for automatically driving the lower valve body (14) and the upper valve body (16); wherein the drive shaft (18) is torque-transmittingly connected to one of the two valve bodies, and that one valve body is torque-transmittingly connected to the other of the two valve bodies. The multi-way valve (2) is characterized by having a checking device (20) for checking the correct positioning of the lower valve body (14) relative to the upper valve body (16) in the circumferential direction, and the reaction to the detected incorrect relative positioning of the two valve bodies (14, 16) in the circumferential direction can be automatically triggered. The checking device (20) has a lower slider-slide groove pair arranged on the partition wall (12) and the lower valve body (14) and an upper slider-slide groove pair arranged on the partition wall (12) and the upper valve body (16).

2. The multi-way valve (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inspection device (20) has a controller and a sensor connected to the controller for automatically determining the actual rotation angle when the two valve bodies rotate from the first end position to the second end position, wherein the actual rotation angle is compared in the controller with a previously determined nominal rotation angle when the two valve bodies rotate about the rotation axis (10), and the actual rotation angle corresponds to the nominal rotation angle when the two valve bodies are correctly positioned relative to each other in the circumferential direction.

3. The multi-way valve (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slides of the two slider-slide pairs are arranged offset from each other in the circumferential direction, such that the position of the first end is mechanically determined by one of the slider-slide pairs, and the position of the second end is mechanically determined by the other slider-slide pair.

4. The multi-way valve (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The nominal rotation angle is 180°, wherein each slide of the two slider-slide pair allows a rotation angle range greater than 180°.

5. The multi-way valve (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The housing (4) has a housing sleeve (30), wherein the lower and upper opening ends of the housing sleeve (30) can be substantially sealed by a lower housing cover (32) and an upper housing cover (34), wherein a drive shaft opening (36) is arranged in one of the housing covers for the drive shaft (18) to pass through.

6. The multi-way valve (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The drive shaft (18) is constructed as an integral part of the lower valve body or the upper valve body (16).

7. The multi-way valve (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, A valve body that is connected to the drive shaft (18) to transmit torque is mechanically connected to another valve body via a coupler (38) to transmit torque, wherein the coupler (38) has a lower coupler portion (40) disposed to the lower valve body (14) and an upper coupler portion (42) disposed to the upper valve body (16), and the lower coupler portion (40) or the upper coupler portion (42) passes through a coupler opening (44) in a partition wall (12).

8. The multi-way valve (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, A separate seal is provided between the housing and the lower valve body and / or the upper valve body, and / or between the housing sheath and the lower housing cover and / or the upper housing cover, and / or between the drive shaft and the lower housing cover or the upper housing cover, and / or between the partition wall and the lower coupler section or the upper coupler section.

9. The multi-way valve (2) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The lower coupler portion (40) is constructed as an integral part of the lower valve body (14) and / or the upper coupler portion (42) is constructed as an integral part of the upper valve body (16).

10. A method for operating a multi-way valve (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The system automatically triggers a response to the detected incorrect relative positioning of the two valve bodies in the circumferential direction.

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