Rotary valve

Abstract

A rotary valve (1) comprises a valve body (2) with a valve cavity (3), the valve cavity (3) is provided with at least one cavity wall (4), the cavity wall is provided with at least two fluid openings (5), a valve element (7) is installed in the valve cavity (3), the valve element (7) is provided with a channel structure (8) matched with the fluid openings (5), the valve element (7) is rotatably installed in the valve cavity (3), and the valve element (7) is at least composed of two parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotary valve, comprising a valve body with a valve cavity, wherein the valve cavity has at least one cavity wall, and at least two fluid openings are opened on the cavity wall. A valve core is installed in the valve cavity, and the valve core is provided with a channel structure that cooperates with the fluid openings. The valve core is rotatably installed in the valve cavity. Background Art

[0002] Such rotary valves are known, for example from DE 10 2018 009 680 A1. Rotary valves of the above type are often used in cooling circuits to control the flow of a coolant. The coolant can flow in and out through the fluid openings on the valve body. The channel structure in the valve core is used to control the flow of the coolant. Depending on the arrangement and number of the fluid openings, different cooling circuits can be activated, the volume flow of the coolant can be adjusted or the flow direction can be adjusted.

[0003] This design of the rotary valve is advantageous because the flow of the coolant is regulated by rotating the valve core, and the corresponding actuator for the rotary valve core is simple in structure and easy to control. Therefore, the rotary valve and its associated actuator can be manufactured in a cost-effective manner. In addition, the installation space required for the rotary valve is also small.

[0004] This type of rotary valve is particularly advantageous in temperature control circuits in the field of electric vehicles. To achieve a high range in electric vehicles, for example, the temperature of the electrical components must be controlled. The components in electric vehicles that require temperature control mainly include the energy storage units, but also power electronics or connectors for fast charging devices. Energy storage devices only perform optimally within a very narrow temperature range. Therefore, the energy storage devices in electric vehicles need to be heated at low ambient temperatures and cooled at high external temperatures or when the load changes drastically.

[0005] To this end, the currently known solution is to provide a temperature control circuit in which a temperature control medium circulates. Depending on the requirements, the temperature control medium can be heated in a heating device or cooled in a cooling device. The regulation of the flow of the temperature control medium is at least partially achieved by a rotary valve. This may require a complex channel structure to be provided inside the valve core. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a rotary valve which is inexpensive to manufacture and which enables complex control of a temperature control circuit.

[0007] This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. The dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments.

[0008] The rotary valve of the present invention comprises a valve body with a valve cavity, wherein the valve cavity has at least one cavity wall, and at least two fluid openings are formed on the cavity wall. A valve core is installed in the valve cavity, and a channel structure that cooperates with the fluid opening is provided on the valve core. The valve core is rotatably installed in the valve cavity, and the valve core is composed of at least two parts.

[0009] Since the valve core adopts a structural design of at least two parts, a complex channel structure can be realized in the valve core, and the manufacture of the valve core is simple and low-cost.

[0010] The valve core may include at least one inner part and one outer part, wherein the outer part at least partially surrounds the circumferential side of the at least one inner part. In this embodiment, the inner part is located inside the outer part, for example inserted into the outer part, which enables the inner part to realize a particularly complex channel structure. On the other hand, the outer part contacts the cavity wall of the valve cavity and can be designed to form a particularly good sealing effect with the cavity wall.

[0011] It is possible to provide a plurality of said inner parts. In this case, the plurality of said inner parts can be nested in each other like a sleeve. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a plurality of said inner parts, each of which extends and covers a sector-shaped area, and the plurality of said inner parts are arranged adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. In both embodiments, a particularly complex channel structure can be realized at low cost. According to another alternative, the plurality of inner parts can also be nested in each other one by one, and the said inner parts can be arranged side by side.

[0012] The outer part can be formed as a sleeve and accommodate the at least one inner part. In this embodiment, the outer part can at least partially cover the inner part in the circumferential direction, thereby particularly effectively protecting the inner part from damage. In particular, it can prevent the inner part from getting stuck with the cavity wall. The outer part designed as a sleeve can particularly effectively protect the inner part from damage, especially during assembly. In this embodiment, the outer part can fit the cavity wall of the valve cavity evenly, thereby reducing the risk of internal leakage in the rotary valve.

[0013] In order to improve the sealing effect, at least a partial area of ​​the cavity wall may be coated with an elastic coating, for example, made of an elastic material.

[0014] At least one inner part can be designed as a rib. In this way, the inner part can be manufactured in a particularly lightweight and material-saving manner while optimizing the conveying function of the channel structure. The outer peripheral wall of the channel formed in the inner part can be formed by the outer part, which simplifies the manufacture of the inner part. If the inner part is made of plastic, it can be manufactured in particular by injection molding. The rib-shaped design of the inner part also allows particularly complex channel structures to be realized in the valve core.

[0015] Openings may be provided on the outer part. Depending on the position of the valve core, these openings communicate with the fluid openings and allow the temperature control medium to flow into the channel structure of the inner part through the fluid openings.

[0016] The channel structure can be arranged in the at least one inner component. In this way, the channel structure is protected by the outer component and a particularly complex channel structure can be realized.

[0017] The at least one inner part and the outer part can be connected to each other by material bonding. To this end, the at least one inner part and the outer part can be connected using an adhesive. More preferably, the at least one inner part and the outer part are connected by welding, for example by laser welding or ultrasonic welding. For example, the welded connection can be linear and arranged around the opening. In addition, it is conceivable that the welded connection arranged around the opening is recessed so that the weld seam does not affect the sealing function between the valve core and the valve body. By material bonding, the inner part and the outer part form a firm connection, thereby ensuring safe and long-lasting operation of the rotary valve.

[0018] The at least one inner part and the outer part can be connected to each other by a form fit. In this embodiment, the inner part and the part can be connected together particularly quickly and easily. It is also conceivable that the inner part and the outer part are connected both by material bonding and by form fit.

[0019] The at least one inner part and the outer part may be connected to each other in a fluid-tight manner, so as to prevent liquid from entering another channel from one channel of the channel structure of the inner part.

[0020] The outer part of the valve core can at least partially be in sealing contact with the cavity wall of the valve cavity, so as to prevent leakage from occurring in the valve cavity, thereby avoiding affecting the function of the rotary valve.

[0021] The sealing profile can be provided on the outer part and / or the inner part. The sealing profile is preferably provided outside the opening region of the outer part and can be formed along the periphery of the opening. The sealing profile can be a separate component or can be directly integrally formed with the outer part. In particular, it is conceivable that the sealing profile is made of a thermoplastic elastomer and is integrally formed with the outer part. It is also conceivable that the sealing profile is designed as a sealing ring or a sealing lip. Furthermore, the sealing profile can be mounted in a groove formed on the outer part.

[0022] In an alternative embodiment, the valve body and the valve core can be designed as a conical structure. In addition, it is conceivable that the outer part is provided with a channel structure. Further, it is conceivable that a plurality of the outer parts are nested in each other, wherein one outer part can accommodate another outer part. The outer part can be designed as a multi-piece, in particular in the form of a sector. In this case, it is particularly conceivable that the outer part comprises two half shells. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The following will introduce the embodiments of the rotary valve of the present invention in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are all shown in schematic form:

[0024] Figure 1 : Rotary valve;

[0025] Figure 2 :Detailed structure of the valve core of the rotary valve;

[0026] Figure 3 :Detailed structure of the internal parts of the valve core;

[0027] Figure 4 : The outer part of the valve core;

[0028] Figure 5 : Another type of valve core;

[0029] Figure 6 : A valve core with inner and outer parts welded together. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Figure 1 A rotary valve 1 is shown, which is part of a temperature control circuit of an indoor facility that needs to be temperature regulated. In this example, the rotary valve 1 is used in the field of electric vehicles as part of a temperature control circuit of an electric vehicle. The rotary valve 1 is integrated into the temperature control circuit of the electric motor drive of the electric vehicle and guides the volume flow of the medium conveyed in the temperature control circuit to the electrical energy storage device, the electric motor and the power electronics. The flow of the temperature control medium in the temperature control circuit can be adjusted by the rotary valve 1.

[0031] In particular, it is possible to consider modifying the volume flow of the temperature control medium, for example increasing or decreasing it. In addition, by rotating the valve core 7, different fluid openings 5 ​​can be connected in a fluid-conducting manner, thereby changing the flow direction of the temperature control medium. The rotary valve 1 according to the invention thus also forms a directional control valve, by which individual components of the device to be temperature-regulated can be supplied with temperature control medium individually and specifically and, if necessary, they can also be separated from the temperature control medium flow.

[0032] Depending on the ambient temperature and the power demand, for example, the temperature control medium flow can initially be directed to the electrical energy storage device and cool or heat it depending on the ambient temperature. For high power demands, the coolant flow can be directed to the power electronics and electric motors to cool these components. Regulation of the coolant flow is achieved by means of a rotary valve 1. In this case, the rotary valve 1 can replace several solenoid valves, thereby enabling the entire temperature control loop to be manufactured at low cost.

[0033] Figure 1 A rotary valve 1 is shown, wherein the valve body 2 is made of plastic and has a valve chamber 3 inside. The valve chamber 3 has a chamber wall 4, and a plurality of fluid openings 5 ​​are provided on the chamber wall 4. A receiving port 6 is provided on the end surface of the valve chamber 3, and a valve core 7 is installed in the valve chamber 3. The receiving port 6 is provided with a cover, and a bushing for a drive shaft 13 is provided on the cover. A channel structure 8 is provided on the valve core 7, and the channel structure 8 cooperates with the fluid opening 5. The valve core 7 is rotatably installed in the valve chamber 3 and is provided with a drive shaft 13, through which the valve core 7 can be driven to rotate by an actuator.

[0034] Figure 2 Shown in detail Figure 1 The valve core 7 of the rotary valve 1 shown in FIG. The valve core 7 includes an inner part 9 and an outer part 10, wherein the outer part 10 surrounds the inner part 9. The outer part 10 is designed as a sleeve for accommodating the inner part 9. Both the inner part 9 and the outer part 10 are made of plastic.

[0035] The outer part 10 is provided with openings 11. The channel structure 8 is arranged in the inner part 9. Through the openings 11 on the outer part 10, the channel structure 8 can selectively contact one or more fluid openings 5.

[0036] Figure 3 Shown in detail Figure 2 The inner part 9 of the valve core 7 is shown in FIG. It can be seen that the inner part 9 is a rib-shaped structure. The inner part 9 is made of plastic and manufactured by injection molding. According to the design of the channel structure 8, the inner part 9 can be designed as a multi-piece type, and multiple inner parts 9 can be nested with each other and / or multiple inner parts 9 are fan-shaped and arranged side by side along the circumferential direction. The channel structure 8 is arranged in the inner part 9.

[0037] Figure 4 Shown in detail Figure 2 The outer part 10 of the valve core 7 is shown in the figure. The outer part 10 is sleeve-shaped and has a plurality of openings 11 on its peripheral wall. Each opening 11 is provided with a sealing profile 14, which is arranged in the edge area of ​​the opening 11. The sealing profile 14 is made of a thermoplastic elastomer and is firmly connected to the outer part 10.

[0038] Figure 5 Shown Figure 2 Another embodiment of the valve core 7 is shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the outer member 10 also has a rib-shaped structure, so that the channel structure 8 arranged in both the inner member 9 and the outer member 10 can have a particularly complex shape.

[0039] Figure 6 Shown Figure 2. In this embodiment, it can be seen that the inner part 9 and the outer part 10 are connected to each other in a manner of welding connection 12. The welding connection 12 is located in the area of ​​the opening 11 and is linear. In addition to ensuring a firm connection between the inner part 9 and the outer part 10, the welding connection 12 also ensures that the valve core 7 cannot leak in the area of ​​the opening 11.

Claims

1. A rotary valve, comprising a valve body (2) with a valve cavity (3), the valve cavity (3) having at least one cavity wall (4), the cavity wall (4) being provided with at least two fluid openings (5), a valve core (7) being installed in the valve cavity (3), the valve core (7) being provided with a channel structure (8) cooperating with the fluid opening (5), the valve core (7) being rotatably installed in the valve cavity (3), characterized in that: The valve core (7) is composed of at least two parts.

2. The rotary valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve core (7) comprises at least one inner part (9) and an outer part (10), wherein the outer part (10) at least partially surrounds the circumferential side of the at least one inner part (9).

3. The rotary valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The outer part (10) is formed as a sleeve and accommodates the at least one inner part (9).

4. The rotary valve according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The outer part (10) is provided with an opening (11).

5. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The channel structure (8) is arranged in the at least one inner component (9).

6. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The at least one inner component (9) is in the form of a rib-shaped structure.

7. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The at least one inner component (9) is connected to the outer component (10) by material bonding.

8. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that: The at least one inner component (9) is connected to the outer component (10) in a form-fitting manner.

9. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that: The outer part (10) of the valve core (7) is at least partially in sealing contact with the cavity wall (4) of the valve cavity (3).

10. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that The outer part (10) and / or the at least one inner part (9) are provided with a sealing contour.

11. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The valve core (7) is made of plastic.

12. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that The outer part (10) is provided with a channel structure (8).

13. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that The valve core (7) comprises a plurality of outer parts (10).

14. The rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that The valve body (2) and the valve core (7) are both made of plastic.

15. A temperature control circuit for a vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle, comprising at least one rotary valve (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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