Proportional rotary valve

Abstract

A hydraulic rotary distributor comprises a housing (2) and a core (4). The housing (2) comprises a side wall (8) and two end walls (6, 10) defining a hydraulic chamber. The core (4) is rotatable within the chamber about an axis of rotation (XX '). Wherein one end wall (6) has an axial bore (11) and the side wall of the housing has at least two lateral bores (12, 20) opening into the hydraulic chamber. The core (4) comprises a side surface (32) facing the side wall (8), an axial face (18) facing the axial bore (11), and a lateral bore (34) allowing individual flow from or to each lateral bore (12, 20) depending on the angular position of the core in the housing. The lateral holes (34) of the core have a shape such that, in at least one other angular position, a partial flow can be made simultaneously to the two lateral holes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a rotary valve or a hydraulic rotary distributor, for example for cooling in the automotive industry, the valve or distributor preferably being electrically driven. The invention is also suitable for distributing cooling fluid for fuel cells. Background Art

[0002] In the automotive field, hydraulic valves or distributors are widely used to cool certain parts of the engine. For example, they include motor valves with 1 or 2 inlets and 2 outlets, and solenoid valves with 1 inlet and 2 outlets. These valves or distributors are usually controlled by motors.

[0003] There are many types of hydraulic valves or distributors (the term "distributor" is used in the following description, but it should be understood that it also applies to "valve"), including slide valves and rotary distributors.

[0004] This rotary distributor (also called a ball valve) includes a housing that defines a rotationally symmetrical cylindrical chamber. The chamber is provided with at least one fluid inlet for connecting to a liquid source, and at least one fluid outlet for connecting to a pipeline to deliver the liquid to the area to be cooled. The inlet and outlet open on the cylindrical wall of the chamber. The distributor also includes a rotatable central component or core installed in the chamber. The core includes an outer rotating surface facing the cylindrical wall of the chamber. The core has at least two holes on its outer surface, which are connected to each other through a channel. The two holes are oriented relative to each other so that when one of the holes faces the inlet, the other hole faces the outlet. In this way, by rotating the core in the chamber, communication or interruption between the inlet and the outlet can be achieved, thereby controlling the fluid circulation between the liquid source and the cooled area.

[0005] Typically, this type of distributor is supplied with liquid from the side. The fluid entering from the side will generate a torque on the entire device. A problem to be solved is to provide a distributor device to solve the problem of the torque effect.

[0006] Another problem is to provide a rotatable distributor device that can distribute fluid simultaneously and proportionally between the two outlets of the distributor. In fact, there is currently no device that distributes fluid between the two outlets according to a predetermined ratio.

[0007] Furthermore, sealing is usually achieved between the core and the housing by using a seal. This brings up the problem of monitoring the state of the seal and the need to provide a mounting groove for the seal during the processing of the device. This makes the device and its manufacturing method complicated. However, efforts are being made to obtain a dispenser with a simple and reliable design and a smaller number of parts.

[0008] Another problem is driving the rotary distributor device: a simple drive system is desired, which allows the movement of the actuator to be easily transmitted to the core.

[0009] There is also the problem of how to automatically return the core to its equilibrium position after it has been rotated from its equilibrium position to another position (for example to supply a pipeline). Summary of the invention

[0010] Therefore, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic rotary distributor that is relatively simple to manufacture and reliable based on the prior art.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary hydraulic distributor that can solve at least one of the above problems.

[0012] To this end, the invention relates to a rotary hydraulic distributor comprising a housing and a rotatable central part or core. The housing comprises a cylindrical rotationally symmetrical chamber for accommodating the core. The housing or chamber wall has at least two lateral holes, for example as outlet holes, which open into the hydraulic chamber.

[0013] The core comprises a side surface corresponding to the inner wall facing the housing. The core preferably comprises an axial face, such as an inlet face, which preferably comprises an opening corresponding to an axial hole (such as a supply hole) of the housing, and a lateral hole (such as an outlet hole), and an internal conduit connecting the axial face with the lateral hole. In this way, when the core is located in a first angular position and a second angular position in the housing, fluid circulation (such as supply) can be achieved independently from or to each lateral hole of the housing. Preferably, the lateral holes of the core have a shape so that in at least one intermediate angular position between the first angular position and the second angular position, partial flow or supply can be achieved to both lateral holes at the same time.

[0014] In a specific embodiment, the axial hole (e.g., the liquid supply hole) is coaxial with the rotation axis, or arranged in a direction such that the rotation axis is substantially perpendicular to the axial hole. In this way, the supply (or outflow) of the fluid is carried out in a direction aligned with the rotation axis, which can greatly reduce the torque generated when the fluid is introduced into or discharged from the distributor.

[0015] Therefore, the present invention relates to a hydraulic rotary distributor, comprising a housing and a core. The housing has a side wall and two end walls, which define a hydraulic chamber in which the core can rotate around a rotation axis (XX'). One end wall comprises an axial hole (e.g. a supply hole) extending substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis (XX'). The side wall of the housing comprises at least two lateral holes (e.g. as outlet holes) opening into the hydraulic chamber. The core comprises a side surface corresponding to the side wall facing the housing, an axial face (e.g. an inlet face) facing the axial hole, a lateral hole and a conduit connecting the axial face and the lateral hole. When the core is in a first angular position and a second angular position in the housing, a fluid flow (e.g. supply) can be made separately from or to each lateral hole of the housing. The lateral hole of the core has a shape such that when there is at least one or more intermediate angular positions between the first and second angular positions, a partial flow (e.g. partial supply) can be made to both lateral holes simultaneously.

[0016] In an embodiment of the invention according to one of the above definitions or other definitions or the rest of the application, the lateral holes of the core have one of the following characteristics:

[0017] - the angular opening measured in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the core is greater than the angle between two lateral holes in the side wall of the housing measured in the same plane;

[0018] ——Or the distance between the two farthest points in the lateral hole of the core is greater than the distance between the two lateral holes of the shell.

[0019] In this way, the core can be positioned at certain angular positions so that the fluid can flow partially to or from the first lateral hole in the side wall of the housing, and partially to or from the second lateral hole in the side wall of the housing. By rotating the core, the ratio of the flow to each lateral hole can be changed or adjusted: an increase in flow to one of the lateral holes is accompanied by a decrease in flow from the other lateral hole. Thus, the device of the present invention can achieve a proportional distribution of the fluid between the two outlets, or a proportional confluence of the fluid in the two lateral inlets.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, the lateral holes of the core are oblong, elliptical or ellipsoidal in shape.

[0021] In a specific embodiment, in the hydraulic rotary distributor of the present invention, the internal pipe of the core connects the axial surface (e.g., inlet) and the lateral hole of the core, and the cross section of the internal pipe (perpendicular to the fluid flow direction) gradually increases from the axial surface to the lateral hole. This gradual increase helps to reduce pressure loss.

[0022] For example, the cross section of the inner duct preferably increases in a progressive manner, with the cross section increasing by 1% to 3% each time the angle between an axial plane containing the core opening and a plane perpendicular to the fluid flow direction increases by between 5° or 7° and 12° or 15° (e.g. 10°).

[0023] In a hydraulic rotary distributor according to the invention, for example, sealing between the two lateral outlet openings can be achieved without the use of additional seals. The seal can be ensured by a narrow channel or a small gap between the side surface of the core and the side wall of the housing. The gap is, for example, between 50 μm and 200 μm or 300 μm (e.g. 250 μm, in particular for a leakage of 1% of a flow rate of 700 l / min). Thus, the distributor does not require additional seals, such as sealing rings.

[0024] The invention also relates to a hydraulic rotary distributor, comprising a housing and a core. The housing comprises a hydraulic chamber defined by a side wall and two end walls. The core can rotate in the chamber about a rotation axis (XX'). The housing has at least one axial hole (e.g. a fluid supply hole) and at least one lateral hole (e.g. an outlet hole), which holes open into the hydraulic chamber. The core comprises a side surface facing the housing side wall, an axial face comprising an opening (e.g. a fluid inlet opening), at least one lateral hole (e.g. a lateral outlet), and a conduit or chamber connecting the axial face and the lateral hole. Depending on the angular position of the core in the housing, a fluid can flow or circulate from or to each lateral hole. The sealing between the side surface of the core and the side wall of the housing is achieved by a narrow channel or a small gap between the two, which gap is between 50 μm and 200 μm or even 300 μm (e.g. 250 μm).

[0025] The hydraulic rotary distributor of the present invention may further include a return device for returning the core after it is rotated away from the equilibrium or initial position.

[0026] For example, the return means is a torsion spring, one end of which is fixed to the core and the other end is fixed to a part of the dispenser that remains fixed when the core rotates.

[0027] In yet another embodiment, the core may include coupling means for coupling a shaft end of an actuator (eg, a motor or a geared motor) to the core.

[0028] For example, the coupling device includes a component, the component is provided with a groove for receiving the end of the actuator shaft, and the core includes a receiving portion for receiving the component so that the rotation of the component is transmitted to the core.

[0029] The component and its receiving portion are preferably cylindrical, and a parallelepiped-shaped lug is provided on the end face of the cylindrical component, and there is a corresponding space in the receiving portion to accommodate the lug, so that the lug ensures that the rotation is transmitted to the core.

[0030] Preferably, the slot and the lug extend in substantially mutually perpendicular directions to compensate for coaxiality or alignment errors in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

[0031] In another example, the component and the receiving portion are both parallelepiped-shaped, thereby achieving rotation transmission to the core.

[0032] In addition, the device of the present invention may include a device for limiting the rotational angular stroke of the core body under the drive of the actuator. For example, the core body includes an arc-shaped groove, and the stopper on the housing enters the arc-shaped groove to limit the rotational stroke of the core body at the initial position or the maximum position.

[0033] Preferably, the housing and / or the core are made of plastic, which is beneficial to reducing the weight of the dispenser and shortening the manufacturing time.

[0034] For example, the housing and / or the core are made of plastic.

[0035] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the lateral holes of the housing are extended by ducts extending along the axis (X) 12 , X 20 ) directions, these axes have an intersection (A) which is located rearward of the center (C) of the core relative to the side hole of the shell.

[0036] Regardless of the embodiment of the hydraulic rotary distributor according to the invention:

[0037] - the axial face of the core may include an opening facing the axial bore of the shell;

[0038] - The housing may comprise 1, 2 or more lateral holes.

[0039] The present application also relates to a hydraulic rotary solenoid valve, which comprises a distributor according to one or another embodiment of the present invention and an actuator, such as a motor or a gear motor, for driving the core to rotate.

[0040] For example, the actuator comprises an output shaft aligned with the axis of rotation (XX').

[0041] The invention also relates to a method for distributing a fluid using a hydraulic rotary solenoid valve according to the invention, wherein the fluid is introduced through an axial hole (e.g. in the direction of the axis of rotation (XX') or perpendicular to this direction), guided by an internal duct of the core to its lateral hole, and then delivered to one and / or the other of the two lateral holes of the housing (as outlet hole) depending on the orientation of the core in the housing.

[0042] According to one example, the fluid may be a mixture of water and ethylene glycol (eg, 60% water and 40% ethylene glycol), which is suitable for cooling a fuel cell.

[0043] On the other hand, the present invention also relates to a method for distributing fluids using the hydraulic rotary solenoid valve of the present invention, wherein the fluids are introduced through two lateral holes (in this case, inlet holes). These fluids merge and at least partially mix in the internal channel of the core body, and then flow out through the axial hole (in this case, outlet hole). The two fluids can be the same medium or different temperature versions of the same medium. For example, one of the fluids comes from a heating component (such as a fuel cell) and the other comes from a cooling component (such as a radiator). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The present invention will be better understood by reading the following description and the accompanying drawings.

[0045] Figure 1 An exploded view of a hydraulic rotary distributor according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, which includes one inlet and two outlets.

[0046] Figure 2A for Figure 1 A perspective view of the central rotating part of the dispenser is shown.

[0047] Figure 2B for Figure 1 A front view of the central rotating portion of the dispenser is shown.

[0048] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A side view of the internal conduits of the core of the distributor is shown.

[0049] Figure 4 It is a top view of the shell and the core, showing that both outlets on both sides are partially flowing.

[0050] Figure 5A It is a top view of the housing and the core, showing that in the first switching state, the fluid only flows to one of the outlets of the distributor.

[0051] Figure 5B It is a top view of the housing and the core, showing that in the second switching state, the fluid only flows to the other outlet of the distributor.

[0052] Figure 6 A view of a chamber in the lower portion of the core that is used to accommodate a device that couples to the actuator shaft.

[0053] Fig. 7A is a view of one embodiment of a coupling device for coupling a core to an actuator shaft.

[0054] Figure 7B is a view of another embodiment of a coupling device for coupling a core to an actuator shaft.

[0055] Figure 8An embodiment of a return device is shown for returning the core to an initial position.

[0056] Fig.9A A view showing a distributor according to the present invention under axial liquid inflow conditions is shown.

[0057] Fig. 9B A view showing a distributor according to the present invention under axial liquid discharge conditions is shown.

[0058] Fig. 10A , Fig. 10B , Fig. 10C The steps of manufacturing a rotary hydraulic distributor core according to the present invention are shown.

[0059] FIG. 11A to FIG. 11C Another aspect of a rotary hydraulic distributor core according to the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] Figure 1 , an example of a rotary hydraulic distributor according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, including one inlet and two outlets. It should be understood that the distributor may have one or more outlets. In addition, as will be described later in conjunction with Fig. 9B As mentioned above, the inlet and outlet can be reversed.

[0061] The distributor D comprises a housing 2 (or valve body), which is a generally rotationally symmetrical cylindrical structure about the axis XX', and a central component 4 (ie, core) installed in the housing 2 and rotatable about the axis XX'.

[0062] In the example shown, the housing 2 comprises a bottom 6 and a substantially cylindrical side wall 8 integral therewith, as well as an inlet cover 10. The inlet cover 10 comprises an opening 11 through which the fluid enters the device; the fluid flows in the direction of the XX' axis and is then distributed by the core 4 to one or more lateral outlets of the housing, preferably in the YZ plane (i.e. a plane perpendicular to the XX' axis, e.g. Fig.9A The access cover 10 is assembled or fixed to the housing 2, for example in a detachable manner, for example by screws, or in a fixed manner, for example by welding, for example further by ultrasonic welding (particularly if the components are made of plastic material).

[0063] It is worth noting that the coaxial entry of the fluid reduces the torque generated by the fluid on the entire distributor. This is particularly advantageous under high flow conditions, such as when the flow rate is in the range of 200 to 700 liters / minute. The housing 2 includes a first outlet hole 20 formed on the side wall 8, which hole can be extended by a first pipe 20' and is used to transport the liquid to a specific area to be cooled. The housing 2 also includes a second outlet hole 12, which can be extended by a second pipe 12' and is also used to transport the liquid to the area to be cooled. These pipes can be connected to the holes 12 and 20, for example, by welding. The housing 2 defines a hydraulic chamber 26. The outlet holes 12 and 20 are distributed at an angle around the XX' axis.

[0064] The housing 2 also comprises a motor cover 18, which can be removably fixed by screws or fixed to the housing 2 by means such as, for example, welding, for example again by ultrasonic welding (especially if the parts are made of plastic material). The whole device is driven by an actuator 33 (such as an electric motor or a gear motor). A coupling device (or part) 36 couples the shaft of the actuator to the core 4 so that the core rotates around the XX' axis.

[0065] An adaptor 39 (comprising, for example, a crown 391 and fasteners 392, such as screws) may be provided to mount the actuator 33 on the housing 18. The axis of the actuator passes through the central hole of the ring.

[0066] Fig.9A Show Figure 1 View of the assembled device.

[0067] exist Figure 2A and 2B In the figure, the core 4 can be seen, which is also a cylindrical structure with rotational symmetry around the XX' axis. The core 4 is installed in the hydraulic chamber and can rotate around the XX' axis. The core includes two end surfaces 28, 30 and a side surface 32.

[0068] When installed, the end face 28 of the core 4 faces the bottom of the housing 2 (i.e., the side close to the actuator), and the end face 30 faces the side of the cover 10. The end face 30 includes an opening 31 for aligning with the opening 11 of the cover 10 to receive the liquid flowing along the XX' axis. The side surface 32 of the core 4 includes a lateral opening 34 for guiding the fluid to one or more outlet holes 12, 20 of the housing. A ball bearing 37 can be provided to guide the core 4 to rotate in the housing 2; in addition, in order to prevent liquid leakage, a static seal is preferably provided between the housing 2 and the cover 10. Similarly, one or more seals 40 are preferably provided between the end wall 6 and the cover 18. Reference numeral 37' also represents a ball bearing.

[0069] An internal duct 38 connects the inlet opening 31 in the core 4 with the lateral outlet opening 34 . Figure 3The shape of the duct 38 is shown in more detail. Preferably, the duct gradually expands from the inlet opening 31 toward the outlet opening 34. For example, the inlet opening 31 is circular, and the outlet opening 34 is preferably in a narrow and long shape as described later.

[0070] Figure 3 A plane P substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow direction is shown in FIG. 1 : the angle between the plane P and the plane P0 containing the core inlet opening 31 is α. When the cross-sectional area S intercepted by the plane P in the pipe 38 increases as α increases, this gradual increase helps to reduce pressure loss.

[0071] The following table lists different cross-sectional area S values ​​at different angles α. As mentioned above, the cross-sectional area S increases as the angle α increases. surface Location <![CDATA[Cross-sectional area (mm 2 )]]> Change from previous value Change from initial value 0° 2017.91 10° 2045.51 1％ 1％ 20° 2081.97 2％ 3％ 30° 2125.2 2％ 5％ 40° 2173 2％ 8％ 50° 2223.02 2％ 10％ 60° 2273.66 2％ 13％ 70° 2319.19 2％ 15％ 80° 2359.7 2％ 17％ 90° 2391.16 1％ 18％ final 2412.57 1％ 20％

[0072] In its final part, when the angle α is equal to 90°, the area S can be further increased, as shown in the above table (see the difference between the S value at 90° and the "final" value).

[0073] For example, for each increase of the angle α by 10°, or more generally any increase between 7° (or even 5°) and 12° (or even 15°), the area S may relatively increase by 1% to 3%, for example 2%.

[0074] Preferably, the projection of the outlet hole 34 on a plane parallel to the axis XX' and perpendicular to the fluid outlet direction has an elongated or elliptical shape extending along the axis YY' (substantially perpendicular to the axis XX'). For example, the projection of the outlet hole has an elliptical shape, the major axis of the ellipse being identical to the axis YY'.

[0075] The distance d between the two farthest points of the opening along the axis YY' ( Figure 2B ) is preferably greater than the distance d1 separating two adjacent outlet openings 12, 20 of the rotating shell 2. Figure 4 As shown, the figure schematically shows the housing 2 with its two outlets 12, 20, and the core 4 with its outlet opening 34. Figure 4 , the outlet orifice 34 is partially open to the outlet 12 and the outlet 20, thereby allowing a flow F12 through the outlet 12 and a flow F20 through the outlet 20. The ratio of these flows can be varied by modifying the orientation of the core 4 in the housing 2 using the actuator 33: for a plurality of positions of the core, the orifice 34 is partially open to the outlet 12 and the outlet 20, and for each of these positions the ratio of these flows is different from that of the other positions.

[0076] In certain positions, the outlet opening 34 may open only to the outlet 12 or the outlet 20. Figure 5A (flow is entirely to outlet 20) and Figure 5B (flow is entirely to outlet 12) as shown.

[0077] Preferably, the gap between the core 4 and the inner surface of the housing 2 allows the sealing between two adjacent outlet paths 12, 20 to be ensured without using a seal. This avoids:

[0078] - additional friction (between the seal and the inner surface of the housing 2 or between the seal and the outer surface of the core 4);

[0079] - Monitoring of seal condition and replacement procedures when they are worn.

[0080] To do this, the maximum gap h that can be achieved between the outer surface of the core and the inner surface of the housing 2 can be calculated. This gap can be modeled by a system consisting of 2 plates, located between 2 outlets, with length l, width b and gap thickness h; one of the outlets has a pressure of p1 (upstream pressure) and the other has a pressure of p2 (downstream pressure, p1>p2). Since the fluid has a dynamic viscosity η, the following formula applies, giving the leaked flow rate dV / dt:

[0081] Formula 1: dV / dt=(h 3 b / 12ηl).(p1-p2)

[0082] for:

[0083] - A fluid consisting of a mixture of water (60%) and ethylene glycol (40%);

[0084] -2x10 at 100°C -3 Viscosity in Pa.s;

[0085] - The pressure difference (p1-p2) is 1 bar;

[0086] -b=4.5x10 -2 m,L=1.77x10 -2 m.

[0087] In order to obtain a maximum radial clearance of 1.85x10 at a maximum leakage flow of up to 4 liters per minute, - 4 m.

[0088] The above formula can be adjusted depending on the required maximum leakage rate, the viscosity of the fluid (which itself may be temperature dependent), the geometric parameters, the pressure difference. The actual part dimensions obtained during manufacturing2,4 can then be compared with the maximum gap obtained according to the above modeling to verify whether the part meets the required sealing requirements.

[0089] Generally, the service temperature that results in the lowest viscosity can be used, since the leakage flow is inversely proportional to the viscosity. This temperature is usually the highest temperature used. For example, for a coolant used between -40°C and +100°C, use a value of 100°C.

[0090] More generally, the gap is, for example, 50 μ m to 200 μ m even 300 μ m (for example: 250 μ m, especially for a 1% leakage at a flow rate of 700 l / min).

[0091] This seal without seal is not only applicable to the above Figure 1-3 The distributors described above also apply to any distributor that implements a rotating element in the distributor body, in particular any distributor:

[0092] - include injection of the fluid, not axially along the axis XX′ as described above, but laterally into the body 2 ; in this case, both the shell and the core have fluid inlets in the side wall 8 and in the side surface 32 ;

[0093] - and / or wherein the core comprises a distribution channel of uniform cross section, the end of which is located near the outlet opening and may have an elongated shape as described above, or a circular shape corresponding to or identical to the cross section of the opening 12,20.

[0094] Thus, sealing can be ensured by a narrow channel or a small gap between the side surface and the side wall.

[0095] Another aspect of the present invention is to Figures 11A to 11C . The lateral ducts 12, 20 extend respectively along axes X12, X20, which lie in the same plane (a plane perpendicular to the axis XX') and intersect at point A. This point may be identical to the center C of the core 4 (which is also the center of the hole of the body 2 into which the core is inserted). However, according to an interesting embodiment of the invention, point A is moved and is located behind point C, at a distance l. Point C is therefore closer to the orifices 12, 20 than point A; both points A and C lie on the axis EE' in a plane perpendicular to the axis XX' (or the midplane of the body 2). A is therefore further away from the orifices 12, 20 than point C. This allows, with a constant diameter of the ducts 12', 20', to increase the distance separating these ducts, called the overlap length (also Figure 4 As this distance increases, the leakage flow rate calculated according to the above formula decreases. Fig. 11B In the example of , the intersection A and the center C are the same. The inner diameter of the pipe 38 in the plane of the axes X12, X20 is 80 mm. The length d1 is 1.36 mm. Fig. 11CIn the example, point A is offset backwards by a distance l of 20.8 mm: the length d1 becomes d'1 = 11.33 mm, more than 8 times greater than the initial length; therefore, the leakage itself is reduced by more than a factor of 8. The gain obtained by relatively offsetting points A and C can therefore be very significant.

[0096] The coupling device 36 of the above device may have Figure 1 and 6 , 7: These devices have, for example, a cylindrical ( Fig. 7A ), a groove 361 can be made in its lower part to accommodate the shaft end 330 of the actuator 33 (see Figure 1 The coupling member 36 itself is mounted in the lower receiving portion 41 of the core 4 (see Figure 6 and 7), the upper part of which comprises a lug 360, for example having a parallelepiped shape, allowing the drive core 4 to rotate when the shaft 330 drives the member 36 to rotate. Preferably, the groove 361 extends in a direction perpendicular to the lug, which allows compensating for coaxiality or alignment defects along 2 axes perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

[0097] The lower housing 41 of the core 4 has a shape complementary to that of the part 36 : in particular, it comprises a groove 282 into which the lug 360 is inserted.

[0098] As an alternative (see Figure 7B ), the coupling device 36' can have a parallelepiped shape in the lower part, including a groove 361' allowing to accommodate the axial end 330 of the actuator 33. This part 36' itself is mounted in the lower housing 41 of the core 4 (see Figure 6 and 7), which have a parallelepiped shape, so that when the actuator 33 drives the part 36' in rotation, the latter in turn drives the core 4 in rotation.

[0099] Advantageously, the lower face 28 of the core 4 has a circular groove 280 (see Figure 1 , 5 and 6), allowing to accommodate a pin 181 connected to the motor cover 18: this pin limits the movement of the core 4 when the core is rotated by the actuator 33. The stopper limits the travel of the slot in the initial position and maximum position of the core; the initial position corresponds, for example, to a flow rate of 0 at the outlet 20, and the final position may correspond to a flow rate of 0 at the outlet 12.

[0100] According to another aspect of the invention, a return spring, such as a torsion spring, can be connected to the core 4 at one end and to a portion, such as a cover or end piece 10, that remains stationary when the core is driven to rotate. Thus, the actuator 33 can drive the core to rotate from the first position to the second position, and ceasing the action of the actuator will automatically return the core to its first position, or initial position. For example, the device can be in a rest position, at which time the fluid flows to the outlet 12, and the actuator drives the core 4 to a position where the fluid flows to the outlet 20, and ceasing the action of the actuator will automatically return the core to its initial position, i.e., the position where the fluid flows to the outlet 12. This aspect of the invention is Figure 8 4 , a torsion spring 60 can be seen, one end 61 of which is connected to the upper part 30 of the core 4 and the other end 63 of which is connected to the inside of the inlet cover 10.

[0101] The above about Figures 6 to 8 The coupling device 36 and its installation and / or return device in the lower receiving portion of the core 4 can be applied not only to the above-mentioned Figures 1 to 3 The described distributor may also be applicable to any other distributor implementing a rotating element in the distributor body, in particular any distributor:

[0102] - include injection of the fluid, not axially, as described above, along the axis XX', but laterally into the body 2; in this case, the shell and the core each have a fluid inlet in the side wall 8 and in the side surface 32;

[0103] and / or wherein the core comprises a distribution channel of uniform cross section, the end of which located near the outlet opening may have an elongated shape as described above, or have a circular shape corresponding to the cross section of the opening 12 , 20 .

[0104] Preferably, the housing 2 and the core 4 are made of plastic material, which reduces the mass of the dispenser, which is particularly advantageous in the automotive field. In addition, preferably a friction-reducing material is added to the plastic material. For example, the housing and / or the core are made of polyphthalamide, for example of the type PA6T / 6I-GF30, very preferably with the addition of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

[0105] Furthermore, they are preferably manufactured by injection molding, which simplifies their manufacture. Fig. 10A and 10B As shown, the shape of the internal channel 38 is created in two parts 38-1 and 38-2, and then the core is surrounded by the shape by injection molding; in these figures, the shape of the two parts 38-1 and 38-2 also has an increased cross-section, but unlike Figure 3 The situation is as gradual as that.

[0106] However, the shell and the core can be made of metal materials, such as stainless steel or aluminum. Since they do not ensure sealing, the requirements for the surface conditions of the shell inner surface and the core surface are greatly reduced.

[0107] Figure 9 shows Figure 1 The reference numerals are the same as those mentioned above with respect to Figure 1 The coolant enters the device through the opening 11, along the axis of the core driven to rotate by the actuator 33. The actuator is, for example, a gear motor MR, whose output shaft is coupled to the core 4, for example as described above. The gear motor is, for example, the one described in the patent application with application number WO2019 / 129984.

[0108] The operation of the dispenser will now be described.

[0109] The supply inlet 11 is connected to a source of pressurized liquid, for example a pump connected to a liquid tank, and the two outlet openings 12, 20 are connected, for example, to a heat or electric motor to be cooled.

[0110] When it is desired to supply the outlet opening 20 with maximum flow, the outlet 34 is aligned with the outlet opening 20 by rotating the core 4 about the axis X. The pressurized liquid flows from the supply opening 18 through the conduit 38 to the outlet opening 20, as shown in FIG. Figure 5A shown.

[0111] When it is desired to supply the outlet orifice 12 with maximum flow, the outlet 34 is aligned with the outlet orifice 20 by rotating the core 4 about the axis XX', and the duct 38 thus connects the supply orifice 11 and the outlet orifice 20, as shown in FIG. Figure 5A shown.

[0112] As mentioned above, the core 4 can occupy any intermediate angular position to ensure proportional supply of the outlet openings 12 and 20 .

[0113] Other relative angular orientations of outlets 12 and 20 are possible.

[0114] The invention allows providing a dispenser with reliable operation while greatly reducing restrictions on size, surface conditions, required materials and manufacturing methods.

[0115] The described example includes one supply hole and two outlet holes, but as mentioned above, the present invention is also applicable to a distributor including one inlet hole and one outlet hole, or a distributor including one supply hole and multiple outlet holes, and a distributor including two supply holes; a distributor according to the present invention can include two axial fluid inlets, and the actuator can be moved to allow fluid to pass through the second end or more ends and one or more outlet holes. The configuration with multiple supply holes and multiple outlet holes can realize a core with multiple cavities or grooves 43 to allow multiple flows to occur simultaneously or at different times in the distributor.

[0116] In the examples described above, the fluid enters through the aperture 11, flows through the conduit 38, and leaves the device through one or both lateral conduits 12, 20 (see, for example, Fig.9A The arrow in the figure indicates the direction of fluid flow).

[0117] The same device can be used to perform the reverse operation: supply with fluids through the lateral ducts 12, 20, which are used as supply ducts, these fluids are mixed in the internal duct 38, and the mixture flows out through the hole 11, which becomes the outlet hole. Depending on the angular position of the core in the housing (around the axis XX'), the fluid ratio of the supply device is changed. Thus, it is possible to introduce 2 or more fluids to be mixed, depending on the number of lateral ducts 12, 20. This use is Fig. 9B In the figure, the arrow indicates the direction of fluid flow.

[0118] For example, the 2 fluids at the inlet may be different. Alternatively, they may have the same properties or both fluids may be the same but at different temperatures, one of which may for example come from a heating component or element, such as a fuel cell, and the other from a cooling component or element, such as a radiator.

[0119] The distributor according to the invention, in particular in connection with a gear motor, is particularly suitable for use in the automotive sector (heat engines or electric motors) because of its low mass.

[0120] The distributor according to the invention is suitable for equipping any vehicle with a thermal, hybrid or electric engine, for example implementing one (or more) temperature regulation system and / or one (or more) air flow directional system.

Claims

1. A hydraulic rotary distributor, comprising a housing (2) and a core (4), wherein the housing (2) comprises a side wall (8), two end walls (6, 10), defining a hydraulic chamber, wherein the hydraulic chamber accommodates the core (4) which can rotate in the chamber around a rotation axis (XX'), wherein one of the end walls (6) comprises an axial hole (11), wherein the axial hole extends substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis (XX'), wherein the side wall of the housing comprises at least two lateral holes (12, 20), wherein the lateral holes open into the hydraulic chamber, and wherein the core (4) comprises a side surface (32) facing the housing (2). A side wall (8), an axial face (18) comprising an opening (31) facing the axial hole (11), a lateral hole (34) and an internal duct (38) connecting the axial face (18) and the lateral hole (34), wherein in a first angular position and a second angular position of the core in the housing, a flow or circulation of a fluid from or to each of the lateral holes (12, 20) is allowed separately, the lateral hole (34) of the core having a shape such that in at least one other intermediate angular position between the first angular position and the second angular position, a partial flow is allowed simultaneously from or to the two lateral holes, wherein The inner channel (38) of the core has a cross section, perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow, which increases from the axial face (18) to the lateral hole (34), and the cross section increases by 1% to 3% for every 5° to 15° increase in the angle between the axial face (18) of the core and the plane perpendicular to the direction of fluid circulation.

2. A hydraulic rotary distributor according to claim 1, wherein the lateral holes (34) of the core have an oblong or elliptical or ellipsoidal shape extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis (XX').

3. The hydraulic rotary distributor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance between the two farthest points of the lateral holes (34) of the core is greater than the distance between the two lateral holes (12, 20) of the housing (2).

4. A hydraulic rotary distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cross-section of the internal pipe (38) increases as it moves from the axial face (18) toward the lateral hole (34), and the cross-section increases by a value between 1% and 3% whenever the angle between the axial face (18) of the core and a plane perpendicular to the fluid circulation direction increases by 7° to 12°.

5. The hydraulic rotary distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sealing between the two lateral outlet openings is ensured by a gap or a small gap between the side surface and the side wall.

6. Hydraulic rotary distributor according to claim 5, wherein the sealing between the two lateral outlet openings is ensured by a channel or gap between the lateral surface and the side wall, the channel or gap between the lateral surface and the side wall being between 50 μm and 300 μm.

7. A hydraulic rotary distributor, comprising a housing (2) and a core (4), said housing (2) comprising a side wall (8), two end walls (6, 10) defining a hydraulic chamber in which said core (4) is accommodated so as to be rotatable in said chamber about an axis of rotation (XX'), at least one axial hole (11) and at least one lateral hole (12, 20) opening into said hydraulic chamber, said core (4) comprising a side surface (32) facing the side wall (8) of said housing (2), an axial face or opening (18), at least one lateral hole (34) and a duct (38) or chamber connecting said axial face or opening (18) and said lateral hole (34), allowing a flow or circulation of a fluid from or to each lateral hole (12, 20) of said housing, depending on the angular position of said core in said housing, wherein The sealing between the side surface of the core and the side wall of the housing is ensured by a narrow channel or a small gap therebetween, which is between 50 μm and 300 μm.

8. The hydraulic rotary distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a return device (60, 61, 63) for bringing the core (4) back to the equilibrium or initial position after it is rotated away from the equilibrium or initial position.

9. A hydraulic rotary distributor according to claim 8, wherein the return means (60, 61, 63) comprises a torsion spring, one end of which is fixed to the core (4) and the other end is fixed to the distributor part which remains fixed when the core (4) is driven in rotation.

10. A hydraulic rotary distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the core (4) comprising coupling means (28, 36, 36', 282) for coupling the end of a shaft (330) of an actuator (33) to the core (4).

11. A hydraulic rotary distributor according to claim 10, wherein the coupling device (28, 36, 36', 282) comprises a component (36, 36') provided with a groove (361, 361) for accommodating the end of the shaft (330) of the actuator (33), and the core (4) comprises a receiving portion (41) capable of accommodating the component (36, 36') so that the component transmits the rotation of the shaft to the core.

12. The hydraulic rotary distributor according to claim 11, wherein the component (36, 36') and the housing (41) have a cylindrical shape and are provided with a lug (360) having a parallelepiped shape, and the housing (41) includes a space (282) for accommodating the lug.

13. The hydraulic rotary distributor according to claim 11, the component (36, 36') and the housing (41) having a parallelepiped shape.

14. A hydraulic rotary distributor according to any one of claims 1 to 13, said core (4) comprising means (280) for directing its rotation when it is driven in rotation by said actuator (33).

15. The hydraulic rotary distributor according to claim 14, wherein the core (4) comprises an arc-shaped groove, and the stopper (181) enters the arc-shaped groove.

16. A hydraulic rotary distributor according to any preceding claim, wherein the housing and / or the core is made of plastic.

17. A hydraulic rotary distributor according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lateral holes (12, 20) are extended by ducts (12', 20') extending along axes (X12, X20) having an intersection point (A) located behind the center (C) of the core (4) relative to the lateral holes of the housing.

18. A hydraulic rotary solenoid valve, comprising a distributor according to any one of the above claims and an actuator (33) for driving the core to rotate.

19. Hydraulic rotary solenoid valve according to the preceding claim, said actuator comprising an output shaft (330) aligned along said axis of rotation (XX').

20. A method for distributing a fluid using a hydraulic rotary solenoid valve according to claim 18 or 19, the fluid being introduced through the axial hole (11), for example in the direction of the rotation axis (XX') or perpendicular to this direction, and being guided by the internal duct (38) of the core to its lateral hole (34), and then flowing to one and / or the other of the two lateral holes (12, 20) of the housing, depending on the orientation of the core in the housing (2).

21. The method according to the preceding claim, said fluid being a mixture of water and ethylene glycol.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the fluid is a coolant for a fuel cell.

23. A method for distributing fluids using a hydraulic rotary solenoid valve according to claim 17 or 18, the fluids being introduced through the two lateral holes (12, 20) of the housing, the fluids being guided by the internal duct (38) of the core to the axial hole (11) and being at least partially mixed in the internal duct (38).

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the two fluids are of the same nature, or the two fluids are the same but at different temperatures.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein one fluid is from a heating component, such as a fuel cell, and the other is from a cooling component, such as a radiator.

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