Fluid dispensing motorized valve and associated manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid dispensing motorized valve and an associated manufacturing method, the valve (1) comprising: a housing (10) comprising a body (11) made of a molded plastic material and defining an internal volume (V11) connected to the exterior of the housing through an inlet and an outlet. An electric pump (30) arranged in the first sub-volume is provided with a suction side opening into the inlet and a delivery side (33) opening into a passage (V14) connecting the first sub-volume to the second sub-volume (V13) by opening into the second sub-volume along a passage axis (X-X). A valve plug (40) is arranged in the second sub-volume in such a way as to be movable by an electromechanical actuation device in order to control the opening and closing of the outlet. The body defines an opening (O11) through which the second sub-volume is directly connected to the outside of the body, the opening being formed by molding and demolding the body in axial alignment with the passage, and a dedicated member (20) being arranged at the opening, the member being selectively selected from one or more valve plug members (21) and one or more flow members, the one or more valve plug members are each adapted to sealingly close the opening, and the one or more flow members are each adapted to allow fluid to flow through the opening and form one of the outlets.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a valve for a fluid dispensing mechanism and a method for manufacturing such a valve.

[0002] The present invention particularly relates to a valve for a fluid circuit, particularly a cooling fluid circuit, incorporated into a vehicle having a thermal, electric, hydrogen, or hybrid engine. Such a valve comprises a valve plug mounted for movement, for example, rotationally about an axis, mounted in a valve housing to regulate the flow of fluid through the housing between an inlet and an outlet of the housing. The valve plug is driven into motion by an electromechanical actuator integrated into the valve. Fluid flows through the valve under the influence of a pump, typically an electric pump, by means of a valve drive in the circuit to which the valve belongs. Background Art

[0003] In practice, the pump and valve are separated from each other, and the physical separation between them has the advantage, among other things, of limiting the design and manufacturing constraints unique to each, since they share no common components. However, it is necessary to fluidically connect the valve and pump, typically via a hose, typically connecting the pump discharge to the valve inlet. This results in considerable bulk and, therefore, weight, associated costs, as well as the risk of leaks and pressure loss at the hose. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to propose a new motorized valve which is both more compact and more efficient while being feasible to manufacture.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a fluid dispensing motorized valve as defined in claim 1 .

[0006] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a valve as defined above, the method being as defined in claim 9 .

[0007] One of the concepts behind the present invention is to integrate a fluid-driven pump into a valve, creating a module with a single housing whose main body is molded plastic, while cleverly addressing issues related to the mold-and-demolding constraints of the housing body. To this end, the internal volume of the valve housing body according to the present invention—wherein a fluid is intended to flow between an inlet and at least two outlets of the housing—is divided into two sub-volumes, which are directly connected to each other via a passage defined by the housing body: a pump is mounted in the first sub-volume to draw fluid at the housing inlet and discharge it into the passage, while a valve plug is movably mounted in the second sub-volume to deliver fluid from the passage to one or more of the at least two outlets, thereby controlling the opening and closing of these outlets. The passage avoids the need for hoses, eliminates the risk of leakage, reduces pressure loss, and reduces weight, compactness, and assembly time. The present invention also provides for equipping the valve with a dedicated component at the opening of the housing body formed by the molding and demolding of the body. This opening is typically created by using a mold core during the molding of the housing body, which is necessary to form the aforementioned passage, as explained in more detail below. After the housing body is demolded, the opening is aligned with the aforementioned passage along an axis that leads to the second sub-volume of the body's interior volume. The present invention exploits this opening by placing the aforementioned dedicated component at the opening and allowing it to be selected from a number of possible components, namely, one or more sealing components, particularly instrumented and non-instrumented sealing components, and one or more flow components, particularly added flow components and flow components molded with the housing body. Thus, it is possible to select the dedicated component that actually belongs to the valve manufactured according to the present invention and thus integrate functionality selected from a number of possibilities into the valve without having to reconsider the details of the molding of the housing body, particularly without having to change the mold used to manufacture the body. Thus, the valve according to the present invention combines performance and adaptability, and the dedicated component of the valve at the aforementioned opening of the housing body can be modified or upgraded. Furthermore, it may be advantageous to provide certain aspects of a dedicated component, perhaps a sealing component and a flow component thereof, in which aspects are selected to obtain even more utility, as described in detail below.

[0008] Additional advantageous features of the valve and / or the method according to the invention are defined in the further claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The invention will be better understood from the following description, given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a valve according to the present invention;

[0011] - Figure 2 Is the basis of the valve Figure 1 A perspective view of a portion of arrow II;

[0012] - Figure 3 It is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of plane III;

[0013] - Figure 4 After removing the valve cover, follow Figure 3 A cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV;

[0014] - Figure 5 is based on Figure 4 A front view of arrow V;

[0015] - Figure 6 is Figure 3 A section in the plane of FIG, which shows only a portion of the valve housing;

[0016] - Figure 7 and Figure 8 are similar to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , which illustrates the Figures 1 to 5 Modifications made to the valves;

[0017] - Figure 9 and Figure 10 are similar to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , which illustrates the Figures 1 to 5 Another modification made to the valve; and

[0018] - Figure 11 and Figure 12 are similar to Figure 7 and Figure 8 , which illustrates the Figures 1 to 5 Another modification made to the valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] exist Figures 1 to 5 , a fluid distribution motorized valve, designated 1, is shown. This valve 1 is suitable for integration into a fluid circuit, in particular a cooling fluid circuit. The valve 1 is used, for example, in the cooling circuit of a vehicle engine, whether thermal, electric, hydrogen-powered, or hybrid.

[0020] The valve 1 comprises a housing 10 through which the fluid to be distributed, in other words regulated, by the valve 1 is intended to flow. Figures 1 to 5As clearly visible in the figure, housing 10 includes a body 11, as well as an inlet 12 and an outlet. The body 11 defines an interior volume V11 through which fluid passes through the housing 10. The outlets are four in number and are labeled 13, 14, 15, and 16, respectively. The inlet 12 can communicate with outlets 13 to 16 through the body 11 via the interior volume V11 of the body 11. The effective communication between the inlet 12 and one or more of the outlets 13 to 16 is operated by valve components, as described in detail below. In use, fluid enters the interior volume V11 through the inlet 12, as schematically indicated by arrow F12 in the figure, and fluid leaves the interior volume V11 through the outlets 13 to 16, as schematically indicated by corresponding arrows F13, F14, F15, and F16 in the figure.

[0021] Before further discussing the body 11 of the housing 10, it should be noted that, in the embodiment considered in the figures, the housing 10 also comprises a cover 17 which is fixedly attached to the body 11 in the assembled state of the valve 1, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 and Figure 3 It is clearly visible in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the illustration, the cover 17 is not shown, since the valve 1 is shown without it. This cover 17 and the body 11 define between them a compartment V17 which, in the assembled state of the valve 1, is sealed relative to the internal volume V11, thereby forming an interior region of the housing 10 that is sealed relative to the fluid circulating through the valve 1 via the internal volume V11. To this end, the cover 17 is attached to the body 11 in a sealed manner by any suitable means, in particular by removable attachment means, in order to facilitate assembly and maintenance of the components of the valve 1 housed inside the compartment V17, such components being described in detail below.

[0022] Returning now to the description of the body 11 of the housing 10, it should be noted that Figure 6 The body 11, shown separately in the figures, is made in one piece of molded plastic material. The nature of the plastic material constituting the body 11 is not restrictive, as long as the plastic material is moldable and imparts sufficient rigidity to the body 11 to fixedly define the internal volume V11. Examples of such plastic materials are polyphenylene sulfide, polyphthalamide and polyamide 6-6. In practice, the plastic material can optionally be filled. Moreover, in the embodiment considered in the figures, the inlet 12 is molded together with the body 11, while the outlets 13 to 16 are each one-piece relative to the body 11 and are attached to the body 11 in a sealed manner; in variants not shown, this can be otherwise.

[0023] In any case, if Figure 3 and Figure 6As can be clearly seen in FIG, the internal volume V11 of the body 11 is distributed between:

[0024] - a subvolume V12 in which the inlet 12 is open,

[0025] - a subvolume V13 in which the outlets 13 to 16 are open, and

[0026] A passage V14 directly connects the sub-volumes V12 and V13 and opens into the sub-volume V13 along a passage axis XX, or the passage V14 extends along this passage axis XX over its entire extent between its ends opening into the sub-volumes V12 and V13 respectively.

[0027] In addition, as in Figure 3 and Figure 6 As can be clearly seen in FIG, the body 11 defines an opening O11 through which the subvolume V13 is directly connected to the exterior of the body 11. The opening O11 is formed by the molding-demolding of the body 11, in the sense that the opening O11 is formed during the molding of the body 11 by using a molding core that extends along the passage axis XX and around which a portion of the plastic material constituting the body 11 is molded to form the passage V14. Such a molding core is formed in Figure 6 1 and 2. In practice, the molding core 2 is advantageously used in combination with a mold (not shown) to manufacture the body 11 by molding. More precisely, in order to manufacture the body 11 as shown in FIG. Figure 6 The body 11 shown in , can in particular be provided in that a plastic material is introduced, usually injected, into the aforementioned mold in order to form the body 11 by molding, while a molded core 2 is arranged in this mold extending along the passage axis XX, so that the plastic material introduced into the mold spreads here to surround the molded core 2 and thereby form the peripheral walls of the passage V14 and the peripheral walls of the opening O11. After the molding of the body has thus been carried out, the aforementioned mold and the molded core 2 are removed, respectively, in order to release the body 11: for this purpose, for example, before opening the mold, the molded core 2 is removed from the mold by pulling the molded core 2 along the passage axis XX in order to gradually remove the molded core 2 from the passage V14 and, more generally, from the internal volume V11 via the opening O11. In any case, after the body 11 has been demoulded, the body 11 defines the passage V14 and the opening O11 in one piece, the passage V14 and the opening O11 being aligned with each other along the passage axis XX and being separated from each other by the sub-volume V13, as Figure 6 Clearly visible in.

[0028] In the assembled state of the valve 1, the opening O11 does not remain as it is after the body 11 is demoulded, but is associated with a dedicated component 20 of the valve 1, as shown in FIG. Figure 2and Figure 3 It is clearly visible in Figures 1 to 5 In the version of the valve 1 illustrated, this dedicated component 20 is constituted by a plug 21 which, in the assembled state of the valve 1, seals the opening O11 in a fluid-tight manner with respect to the fluid regulated by the valve 1. In other words, the plug 21 completely closes the opening O11, generally preventing any fluid from flowing through the opening O11.

[0029] The plug 21 is advantageously generally produced in one piece from a plastic material, in particular the same plastic material as that constituting the body 11 of the housing 10 .

[0030] The plug 21 advantageously comprises a solid wall 21.1 which, in the assembled state of the valve 1, completely covers the opening O11 and which is extended on the outer periphery by a rim 21.2 which, for the purpose of sealingly assembling the plug 21 to the body 11, is welded to the body 11, more precisely to the outer face of the wall of the body 11 surrounding the opening O11. In practice, various plastic welding techniques are conceivable, such as vibration welding and / or ultrasonic welding. The plug 21 also comprises a skirt 21.3 which protrudes from the solid wall 21.1 and, in the assembled state of the valve 1, is received complementarily in the opening O11, as in Figure 3 Clearly visible in.

[0031] In practice, other embodiments than those detailed above are also conceivable for the plug 21. Thus, as a variant not shown, the plug 21 is not assembled to the body 11 by plastic welding, but is designed to be assembled to the body 11 by inserting a sealing joint, which is maintained relative to the opening 11 by any suitable mechanical means, for example by force fit or by means of one or more additional fasteners, such as screws. More generally, the plug 21 is designed to be attached to the body 11 in a sealed manner, the corresponding assembly operation between the plug 21 and the body 11 being carried out after the manufacture of the body 11, generally after the above-mentioned molding and demoulding operations of the body 11.

[0032] The valve 1 includes a pump 30 located inside the housing 10, which allows the aforementioned fluid to be driven through the housing 10 via the internal volume V11. The pump 30 includes a hydraulic portion 31, the embodiment of which is not restrictive, as long as the hydraulic portion 31 acts on the fluid to drive the fluid through the housing 10 via the internal volume V11. The hydraulic portion 31 of the pump 30 is provided with an inlet 32, i.e., an orifice, through which the fluid to be pumped by the pump 30 flows into the hydraulic portion 31 and thus enters the hydraulic portion 31, and a discharge port 33, i.e., an orifice, through which the fluid to be pumped by the pump 30 flows into the hydraulic portion 31 and thus enters the hydraulic portion 31, and a discharge port 33 through which the fluid pumped by the pump 30 flows out of the hydraulic portion 31 and thus exits the hydraulic portion 31. In the assembled state of the valve 1, the hydraulic part 31 of the pump 30 is carried by the body 11 of the housing 10, the hydraulic part 31 being arranged in the sub-volume V12 so that on the one hand the inlet 32 ​​opens into the inlet 12 of the housing 10, thereby allowing all the fluid entering the internal volume V11 via the inlet 12 to pass directly into the hydraulic part 31, as indicated by Figure 4 The arrow F32 in FIG. 1 schematically indicates that the discharge port 33 leads to the passage V14, so that all the fluid discharged by the hydraulic portion 31 is directly conveyed into the passage V14, as indicated by Figure 3 33 in the drawing. In practice, the hydraulic part 31 is assembled to the housing 10 by inserting sealing joints that form dedicated sealing lines at the inlet 32 ​​and the outlet 33, respectively. Moreover, in the embodiment considered in the figures, the pump 30 contributes to defining the compartment V17 together with the body 11 and the cover 17 and, for this purpose, comprises a flange 34 or the like, by means of which the housing of the hydraulic part 31 is fixedly attached to the body 11 and on which the cover 17 is mounted in a sealing manner.

[0033] In any case, the pump 30 is electric, in the sense that its hydraulic part 31 is driven by an electric motor integrated into the pump. In practice, a plurality of embodiments are conceivable for this electric motor and its integration with the rest of the pump 30, without this aspect of the pump being limited. In any case, the pump 30 comprises an electronic part 35 for controlling the hydraulic part 31 by driving the electric motor of the pump 30. In the embodiment considered in the accompanying drawings, the electronic part 35 comprises a printed circuit board 36, here fixedly carried by the housing of the hydraulic part 31, and various electronic components 37, which are mounted on the printed circuit board 36 and are designed to control the electric motor of the pump 30 by sending power and control signals to the electric motor. The functional and structural details of the electronic part 35 are not restrictive, so they will not be described in further detail here. In the assembled state of the valve 1, the electronic part 35 is housed inside the compartment V17, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 and Figure 5 Clearly visible in.

[0034] The valve 1 further comprises a valve plug 40 carried by the housing 10, arranged in the subvolume V13 and movable relative to the housing 10, here rotating about a valve plug axis X40, which advantageously extends transversely or even perpendicularly to the passage axis XX. Due to its mobility, the valve plug 40 is allowed to rotate here about the valve plug axis X40 in order to regulate the flow of fluid through the housing 10 by controlling the opening and closing of the outlets 13 to 16 of the housing 10. In the assembled state of the valve 1, the valve plug 40 cooperates in sealing contact with seats—individually associated with the outlets 13 to 16 and carried by the housing 10—so that, for each seat, the valve plug 40 is arranged, according to its position relative to the housing 10, here about the valve plug axis X40:

[0035] - allowing the fluid to pass through the seat, so that the fluid flows from the subvolume V13 to the outlet associated with this seat, which is equivalent to opening this outlet associated with this seat, as indicated by Figure 3 Schematically illustrated by arrow F40 pointing to outlet 13;

[0036] - or preventing the fluid from passing from the subvolume V13 through the seat to the outlet associated with this seat, which is equivalent to closing this outlet associated with the seat, as indicated by Figure 3 This is illustrated by the prohibitory arrow G40 pointing to the exit 14 .

[0037] Furthermore, at least in each of the positions of the valve plug 40 relative to the housing 10, which positions control the opening of at least one of the outlets 13 to 16, here in each of the positions of the valve plug 40 about the valve plug axis X40, the valve plug 40 allows the fluid to enter the subvolume V13 from the passage V14, as indicated by Figure 3 This is schematically indicated by arrow F40'.

[0038] Thus, the valve plug 40 allows fluid entering the interior volume V11 of the housing body 11 to be selectively distributed into one or more of the outlets 13 to 16 of the housing 10 .

[0039] In the embodiment considered in the figures, the valve plug 40 comprises a generally tubular body 41 centered on the valve plug axis X40. On its lateral surface, the tubular body 41 carries fixedly a spherical projection 42 centered on the valve plug axis X40 and distributed along this axis to cooperate by complementary shapes with the aforementioned seat, which is therefore spherical here.

[0040] Of course, other embodiments than the one detailed above are also conceivable for the valve plug 40 , such as a leaf-type valve plug.

[0041] In any case, in order to control the movement of the valve plug 40 and thus the opening and closing of the outlets 13 to 16 of the housing 10, the valve 1 comprises an actuating device 50. This actuating device 50 is electromechanical in the sense that it is designed to convert the electrical energy supplied thereto into a mechanical driving force which is applied to the valve plug 40 in order to drive it relative to the housing 10, here rotating it about a valve plug axis X40.

[0042] In the assembled state of the valve 1 , the actuating device 50 is carried by the housing 10 , the actuating device 50 being at least partially housed in the compartment V17 . In the embodiment considered in the figures, the actuating device 50 comprises an electric motor 51 and a mechanical transmission 52 connecting the motor output 53 of the electric motor 51 to the valve plug 40 .

[0043] The electric motor 51 generally comprises a housing 54, inside which the electromechanical components of the electric motor 51 are arranged, which convert the electrical energy into a driving force, and through which the motor output 53 extends. The housing 54 is fixedly attached to the casing 10, in particular to its body 11, by any suitable means, in particular in a dedicated housing of the body 11, which advantageously belongs to the compartment V17, as shown. Figure 1 Here, the motor output end 53 rotates around the motor axis X51 relative to the housing 10, and the mechanical transmission device 52 is designed so that the rotation of the motor output end 53 around the motor axis 51 drives the valve plug 40, thereby driving the valve plug 40 to rotate around the valve plug axis X40.

[0044] In the example considered in the figures, the mechanical transmission 52 comprises a gearing 55, here consisting of several toothed wheels meshing one after the other, the first of these wheels being engaged with the motor output 53 and the last of these gears being engaged with the valve plug 40, here with the axial end of the tubular body 41 of the valve plug 40. This gearing 55, the details of which are not limiting, allows the multiplication of the motion transmitted from the motor output 53 to the valve plug 40. Of course, other embodiments than the gearing 55 are conceivable for the mechanical transmission 52, depending in particular on the kinematics of the motor output 53 and of the valve plug 40. In any case, as Figures 3 to 5 As can be clearly seen in FIG, the motor output 53 and the mechanical transmission 52 are advantageously arranged in compartment V17.

[0045] Inside compartment V17, the actuator 50, in particular its electric motor 51, and the pump 30, in particular its electronics 35, are electrically connected to corresponding connectors, or, as shown here, to a single connector 18, carried by the housing 10. In the example illustrated in the figures, the single connector 18 is fixedly attached to the cover 17 in a sealed manner by any suitable means. In any case, the connectors are designed to be connected externally to an additional wiring harness (not shown) to electrically connect the valve 1 to one or more external units, not shown, including an electrical power supply. This power supply, which is not intended to be limiting, can, for example, include a battery embedded in the vehicle's cooling circuit to which the valve 1 belongs. According to one possible embodiment, the aforementioned external units include one or more control and / or monitoring units, such as an onboard computer of the vehicle's cooling circuit to which the valve 1 belongs. The control and / or monitoring unit, or one of these units, is advantageously designed to control the electric motor 51 by sending dedicated electrical control signals to the electric motor 51 via the additional wiring harness. According to another possible embodiment, the control of the electric motor 51 is operated by an electronic device which belongs to the valve 1 and is housed in compartment V17 and is in particular integrated into the electrical connection between the connector 18 and the electric motor 51: this electronic device, not shown in the accompanying figures, can be partially connected to the electronic part 35 of the pump 30 or completely separated from the electronic part 35, the electronic device being in any case suitable for sending control electrical signals and, if necessary, power supply electrical signals to the electric motor 51.

[0046] exist Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the valve 1, Figures 1 to 5 1 shows a different version of the valve 1, except that the dedicated component 20 is not a plug 21, but an instrumented plug 22, i.e., a plug that, while ensuring a fluid-tight seal at the opening O11, integrates a measuring device 22.1 suitable for measuring the physicochemical properties of the fluid in the subvolume V13. It should be understood that, in contrast to the instrumented plug 22, the plug 21 can be considered a non-instrumented plug.

[0047] The measuring device 22.1 is advantageously adapted to measure the temperature of the fluid in the subvolume V13. For this purpose, the measuring device 22.1 typically comprises a temperature sensor 22.2, the details of which are not limiting. Alternatively, the measuring device 22.1 may be designed to measure one or more physicochemical properties of the fluid in the subvolume V13 in addition to temperature, such as viscosity, turbidity, etc.

[0048] In any case, the measuring device 22.1 is designed to transmit the results of the measurements it performs to the outside of the housing 10. For this purpose, the measuring device 22.1 comprises special transmission means. Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the example shown in FIG, these transmission means include conductive tracks 22.3, through which the measurement signal emitted by the temperature sensor 22.2 is transmitted to the outside of the housing 10 and which, in the assembled state of the valve 1, can be connected to a specially added wiring harness (not shown). Of course, various embodiments are conceivable for the transmission means belonging to the measuring device 22.1, possibly embodiments allowing wireless transmission.

[0049] The instrumented stopper 22 advantageously comprises a support 22.4 carrying the measuring instrument 22.1, the support 22.4 possibly being traversed by the measuring instrument 22.1. The support 22.4 is advantageously made of a plastic material, in particular the same plastic material as that constituting the body 11. The instrumented stopper 22 is attached to the body 11 in a sealed manner, being assembled to the body 11 by means of the support 22.4 of the instrumented stopper 22. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As illustrated in , this assembly is preferably carried out by plastic welding of the support 22.4 to the body 11, and this is carried out according to considerations similar to those described above with respect to welding the non-instrumented plug 21 to the body 11; however, in variants not shown, other embodiments are conceivable for this assembly, applying the same considerations as those detailed above with respect to assembling the non-instrumented plug 21 to the body 11.

[0050] More generally, considering the explanations given above regarding the non-mechanical plug 21 and the explanations given above regarding the instrumented plug 22, it will be understood that the two plugs 21 and 22 are each a sealing member, each suitable for sealing the opening O11 in a fluid-tight manner with respect to the fluid regulated by the valve 1. Furthermore, each of the two plugs 21 and 22 is suitable for forming a dedicated member 20 of the valve 1: the non-mechanical plug 21 is selected from these two plugs 21 and 22 to obtain Figures 1 to 5 The version of the valve 1 shown in FIG, and the instrumented plug 22 is selected from the two plugs 21 and 22 to obtain Figure 7 and Figure 8 The valve version shown in the figure.

[0051] exist Figure 9 and Figure 10 In the valve 1, Figures 1 to 5 The valve 1 version and Figure 7 and Figure 81 , a different version of the valve 1 is shown, the difference being that the dedicated component 20 is neither a non-mechanical plug 21 nor an instrumented plug 22, but a connecting pipe 23 which, in the assembled state of the valve 1, allows the fluid to flow through the opening O11 and thus forms the corresponding outlet of the housing 10, in addition to the outlets 13 to 16. In the example considered in the figures, the valve plug 40 does not control the opening and closing of the outlet formed by the connecting pipe 23, but in a variant not shown, the valve plug 40 includes an arrangement which allows the fluid to be selectively distributed to the outlet formed by the connecting pipe 23 to be controlled.

[0052] By definition, the connection pipe 23 comprises a tubular body 23.1 around which a conduit (not shown), such as a hose, added externally to the valve 1 can be easily connected. The corresponding details of the connection pipe 23 are not restrictive. In practice, the connection pipe 23 is advantageously made of a plastic material, in particular the same plastic material as that constituting the body 11.

[0053] In any case, the connecting tube 23 is designed to be attached to the body 11 of the housing 10 in a sealed manner, leaving the interior of the connecting tube 23 in free fluid communication with the opening O11 and thus with the subvolume V13, as shown. Figure 10 To this end, the connection tube 23 advantageously comprises a rim 23.2 surrounding the outer periphery of the tubular body 23.1 and advantageously welded to the body 11, more precisely to the external face of the wall of this body 11 surrounding the opening O11; however, in a variant not shown, the connection tube 23 is assembled to the body 11 not by plastic welding but by inserting a sealing joint maintained relative to the opening 11 by any suitable mechanical means, as previously described in the variant not shown for assembling the non-instrumented stopper 21 to the body 11.

[0054] exist Figure 11 and Figure 12 In the valve 1, Figures 1 to 5 The valve 1 version in Figure 7 and Figure 8 The valve 1 version and Figure 9 and Figure 10 A different version of the valve 1 is shown in FIG, except that the dedicated component 20 is neither the non-instrumented plug 21 nor the instrumented plug 22 nor the connecting tube 23, but a connecting tube 24. Functionally, the connecting tube 24 is similar to the connecting tube 23. Structurally, the connecting tube 24 differs from the connecting tube 23 in that the connecting tube 24 is not attached to the body 11, but is molded together with the body 11, as in FIG. Figure 12 Clearly visible in.

[0055] It will therefore be understood that the connecting pipe 23 and the connecting pipe 24 are each a flow member, each suitable for allowing a fluid to flow through the opening O11, each forming a corresponding outlet of the housing, which outlet is not intended to be controlled by the valve plug 40 in the open and closed positions, but can be controlled by the valve plug 40 in the open and closed positions if desired. The outlet of the housing formed by each of these two flow members is here in addition to the outlets 13 to 16, but in a variant not shown, one of the outlets 13 to 16 can be substituted. In any case, each of the two flow members, the connecting pipe 23 and the connecting pipe 24, is suitable for forming a dedicated member 20 of the valve 1: the connecting pipe 23 is selected from these two flow members to obtain Figure 9 and Figure 10 The version of the valve 1 shown in FIG, and the connecting pipe 24 is selected from these two flow members to obtain Figure 11 and Figure 12 The version of valve 1 shown in FIG.

[0056] Taking all of the above into account, it should be understood that four versions of the valve 1 are available, depending on whether the dedicated component 20 of the valve 1 is a non-instrumented plug 21, an instrumented plug 22, a connecting tube 23, or a connecting tube 24. In other words, within the valve 1, the dedicated component 20 provided at the opening O11 is selectively selected from the two sealing components, the non-instrumented plug 21 and the instrumented plug 22, and the two flow components, the connecting tube 23 and the connecting tube 24. Of course, in variations, only one of the two sealing components and / or only one of the two flow components may be provided. Similarly, in variations, more than two sealing components and / or more than two flow components may be provided, with the dedicated component 20 selectively selected from among these sealing components and / or flow components.

[0057] Therefore, to manufacture the valve 1 , the following three steps are advantageously performed:

[0058] a selection step, in which the dedicated component 20 of the valve 1 is selected from the aforementioned sealing component and the aforementioned flow component, in particular from the non-mechanical plug 21, the mechanical plug 22, the connecting pipe 23 and the connecting pipe 24,

[0059] a first manufacturing step, in which the body 11 of the housing 10 is manufactured by molding-demolding, as explained above in conjunction with the description of the body 11, and

[0060] A second manufacturing step, in which the dedicated component 20 selected in the selection step is formed at the opening O11 of the body 11 .

[0061] In practice, the above three steps can be performed sequentially in various ways, provided that the selection step precedes the second manufacturing step. Thus, when the dedicated component 20 selected in the selection step is attached to the body 11, particularly when the dedicated component thus selected is a non-instrumented plug 21, an instrumented plug 22, or a connecting tube 23, the second manufacturing step is performed after the first manufacturing step and consists of sealingly assembling the dedicated component thus selected to the body 11. Conversely, when the dedicated component 20 selected in the selection step is a connecting tube 24, or more generally, a flow component integrally bonded to the body 11 of the housing 10, the second manufacturing step is performed simultaneously with the first manufacturing step and consists of molding the flow component together with the body 11.

[0062] Of course, in addition to the above three steps, the manufacturing process of the valve 1 also includes one or more assembly steps, during which all parts of the valve 1 except the body 11 and the dedicated component 20 are assembled together and assembled with the body 11 to produce a complete valve 1.

[0063] Finally, various arrangements and variants of the valve 1 described so far and its production process are also conceivable:

[0064] the number of outlets of the housing 10 is not necessarily equal to four or five as considered in the figures, but may be limited to two or three or equal to a number greater than five, for example; and / or

[0065] The relative arrangement between the valve plug axis X40 and the motor axis X51 is not limited to the parallelism of these two axes as considered in the figures; the motor axis X51 may therefore extend transversely to the valve plug axis X40 , in particular perpendicularly or orthogonally thereto.

Claims

1. A fluid dispensing motor valve (1), comprising: a housing (10) comprising a body (11) made of molded plastic material and defining an internal volume (V11) through which a fluid passes through the housing, the internal volume being connected to the exterior of the housing through an inlet (12) of the housing, the fluid entering the internal volume through the inlet (12), and at least two outlets (13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24) of the housing, the fluid leaving the internal volume through the at least two outlets (13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24), an electric pump (30) arranged in a first subvolume (V12) of the internal volume (V11) and provided with an inlet (32) and a discharge (33), the inlet (32) opening into the inlet (12) of the housing (10), the discharge (33) opening into a passage (V14) of the internal volume, the passage connecting the first subvolume to the second subvolume (V13) of the internal volume by opening into the second subvolume along a passage axis (XX), a valve plug (40) arranged in the second subvolume (V13) in a manner movable relative to the body (11) of the housing (10) to control the opening and closing of all or some of the at least two outlets (13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24) of the housing (10), and - electromechanical actuating means (50), carried by the housing (10) and adapted to drive the valve plug (40) in motion relative to the body (11) of the housing, Wherein, the body (11) of the housing (10) defines an opening (O11): - the second subvolume (V13) is directly connected to the exterior of the body through the opening (O11), - said opening (O11) is formed by moulding-demoulding the body of said housing, said opening (O11) being aligned with said passage (V14) along said passage axis (XX), and a dedicated member (20) of the valve (1) being provided at the opening (O11), the dedicated member (20) being selectively selected from one or more sealing members (21, 22) and one or more flow members (23, 24), the one or more sealing members (21, 22) each being adapted to seal the opening (O11) in a fluid-tight manner, and the one or more flow members (23, 24) each being adapted to allow a fluid to flow through the opening and form one of the at least two outlets of the housing.

2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein The dedicated member (20) is attached to the body (11) of the housing (10) in a sealed manner.

3. The valve according to claim 2, wherein One or more of the sealing members (21, 22) is a non-instrumented plug (21).

4. Valve according to one of claims 2 or 3, wherein One or more of the sealing members (21, 22) is integrated with a measuring device (22.1), which is suitable for measuring the physicochemical properties of the fluid in the second subvolume (V13), such as temperature, and for transmitting the corresponding measurement results to the outside of the housing (10).

5. The valve according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein One or more of the flow members (23, 24) is a connecting pipe (23).

6. The valve according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein The dedicated component (20) is assembled to the body (11) of the housing (10) by welding the plastic parts (21.2, 22.4, 23.2) of the dedicated component to the body.

7. The valve according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein The dedicated component is assembled to the body (11) of the housing (10) by inserting a sealing joint.

8. A valve according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein One or more of the flow members (23, 24) is a connecting pipe (24) which is molded together with the body (11) of the housing (10).

9. A method for manufacturing a valve (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising: - a selection step, wherein the dedicated member (20) of the valve (1) is selected from the sealing member (21, 22) and the flow member (23, 24), - a first manufacturing step, in which plastic material is introduced into a mould to form the body (11) of the housing (10) by moulding, and in which the plastic material is caused to surround a moulding core (2) extending along the passage axis (XX) to form the passage (V14) and the opening (O11), and then the mould and the moulding core are removed to release the body of the housing, and - A second manufacturing step, wherein the dedicated member selected in the selection step is formed at the opening.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: When the dedicated component (20) selected in the selection step is attached to the body (11) of the housing (10), the second manufacturing step is performed after the first manufacturing step and includes assembling the dedicated component to the body of the housing in a sealed manner.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein: When the dedicated component (20) selected in the selection step is one or more of the flow components (23, 24) integrally combined with the body (11) of the housing (10), the second manufacturing step is carried out simultaneously with the first manufacturing step and includes molding the flow component together with the body of the housing.

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