An oil solenoid valve capable of reducing the starting load of an aviation auxiliary power device

Abstract

The application provides a lubricating oil electromagnetic valve capable of reducing the starting load of an aviation auxiliary power device, comprising a blocking block, a driving mechanism and a mounting shell; the mounting shell is detachably connected to the auxiliary power device; the mounting shell has a communication chamber, a first through hole and a second through hole which are in communication with each other; the communication chamber is in communication with the lubricating oil pump inlet of the auxiliary power device through the first through hole; the communication chamber is in communication with the air inlet of the auxiliary power device through the second through hole; the blocking block is arranged in the communication chamber and has a blocking state and a communication state; the driving mechanism is arranged on the mounting shell and is used to drive the blocking block to move along the length direction of the mounting shell, so that the blocking block is switched from the blocking state to the communication state or from the communication state to the blocking state. In this way, the state of the blocking block is changed through the driving mechanism, the switching of the lubricating oil path and the air path is realized, and the working reliability and service life of the auxiliary power device are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aviation auxiliary power equipment technology, and in particular relates to a lubricating solenoid valve that can reduce the starting load of aviation auxiliary power units. Background Technology

[0002] The core function of the lubricating solenoid valve in an aircraft auxiliary power unit (APU) is to perform a critical oil draining operation during the APU shutdown phase. When the APU enters the shutdown procedure, the lubricating solenoid valve opens according to control commands, guiding the lubricating oil system to establish a pressure relief channel and quickly draining residual oil from the bearing cavity. This eliminates the risk of "oil migration" (lubricating oil leaving the controllable flow path and entering sensitive areas) caused by lubricating oil accumulation due to inertia. Existing lubricating solenoid valves in aircraft APUs only have the function of draining oil by controlling the opening and closing of the lubricating oil circuit, and are used during the APU shutdown phase. However, in reality, during the startup of an aircraft APU, lubricating oil accumulation often leads to a significant increase in starting load, especially when the external ambient temperature is low. During cold starts, the APU often experiences pull-out phenomena, or even fails to start, requiring multiple dummy starts and cold runs to ensure successful startup. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of this invention is to propose a lubricating solenoid valve that can reduce the starting load of the aircraft auxiliary power unit, in order to solve the problems of existing lubricating solenoid valves having a single function and being unable to actively reduce the load during the starting phase, thus causing difficulties in cold starting of the auxiliary power unit and the risk of oil migration.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution created by this invention is implemented as follows:

[0005] A lubricating solenoid valve that can reduce the starting load of an aircraft auxiliary power unit includes: a plugging block, a drive mechanism, and a mounting housing;

[0006] The mounting housing is detachably connected to the auxiliary power unit. The mounting housing has a communicating chamber, a first through hole, and a second through hole. The communicating chamber is connected to the oil inlet of the lubricating pump of the auxiliary power unit through the first through hole, and the communicating chamber is connected to the air port of the auxiliary power unit through the second through hole.

[0007] The blocking block is disposed in the communicating chamber and has a blocking state and a communicating state. The driving mechanism is disposed in the mounting housing and is used to drive the blocking block to move along the length direction of the mounting housing, so that the blocking block switches from the blocking state to the communicating state or the communicating state to the blocking state.

[0008] Furthermore, the mounting housing includes a fixedly connected valve housing, a mounting frame, a protective cover, and a base;

[0009] The valve housing is provided with the communicating chamber, the first through hole and the second through hole. The driving mechanism includes a driving spring, an electromagnetic coil and an armature. The armature is connected to the end of the sealing block away from the second through hole. The protective cover is sleeved on the outside of the mounting frame, and the protective cover and the mounting frame form a receiving cavity for housing the electromagnetic coil. The base is disposed at the end of the protective cover away from the valve housing. The mounting frame is provided with a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity that are interconnected. The driving spring is disposed in the first mounting cavity. The armature is slidably connected in the second mounting cavity. The end of the armature away from the sealing block is provided with an embedding groove for the driving spring to be inserted.

[0010] Furthermore, the mounting frame is provided with a magnetic shielding ring;

[0011] The magnetic isolation ring is disposed between the electromagnetic coil and the armature to optimize the magnetic circuit, so that more magnetic field lines generated by the electromagnetic coil pass through the armature, thereby increasing its driving force.

[0012] Furthermore, the mounting frame has a mounting through hole, and a sealing plug is injected and fixed at one end of the mounting through hole away from the valve housing, so that the mounting through hole forms a first mounting cavity and a second mounting cavity that are interconnected.

[0013] Furthermore, the protective cover has a flange at the end opposite to the base for connecting the auxiliary power unit.

[0014] Furthermore, the axis of the second through hole is coaxial with the axis of the second mounting cavity.

[0015] Furthermore, the base is provided with an electrical connector, which is electrically connected to the electromagnetic coil.

[0016] Furthermore, the outer wall surface of the valve housing is provided with an annular groove for installing a sealing gasket.

[0017] Furthermore, there are multiple first through holes, which are arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of the valve housing.

[0018] Furthermore, the diameter of the first through hole is 8mm;

[0019] The diameter of the second through hole is 12mm.

[0020] Through the above technical solution, the connecting chamber, the first through hole and the second through hole provided on the mounting housing are interconnected, thereby realizing the auxiliary management of the lubrication system of the auxiliary power device. Specifically, the first through hole is connected to the oil pump inlet and the second through hole is connected to the air port, which allows the lubricating solenoid valve to simultaneously intervene in the oil circuit and air circuit of the lubrication system. On this basis, the blocking block set in the connecting chamber and the drive mechanism that drives the blocking block to move along the length direction of the mounting housing together constitute the blocking block state switching execution unit.

[0021] The linear movement of the plugging block enables it to reliably cut off the second through-hole (air port) in the "plugged state," ensuring that lubricating oil is pumped normally from the first through-hole. In the "connected state," it can precisely open the second through-hole, allowing external air to enter the first through-hole through the connecting chamber. When the auxiliary power unit starts, the drive mechanism can immediately switch the plugging block to the connected state, allowing low-viscosity air to be drawn into the lubricating oil pump, thereby significantly reducing the starting load. When the auxiliary power unit stops, the air passage is reconnected, and air purging is used to assist in oil drainage.

[0022] Therefore, the lubricating solenoid valve can intelligently switch its operating mode according to different working stages of the auxiliary power unit. Specifically, during the start-up stage, it reduces the pump load by introducing air, effectively avoiding cold start drag; during normal operation, it ensures the sealing of the pure lubricating oil circuit, guaranteeing the reliable operation of the lubrication system; and during shutdown, it utilizes the air purging function to promote the rapid return of residual oil in the bearing cavity, eliminating the risk of oil migration. Ultimately, this lubricating solenoid valve significantly improves the reliability, start-up success rate, and maintenance convenience of the auxiliary power unit under different operating conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of the invention are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0024] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the lubricating solenoid valve provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the mounting frame provided in an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0027] 1. Blocking block; 2. Valve housing; 201. Communicating chamber; 202. First through hole; 203. Second through hole; 204. Annular groove; 3. Mounting frame; 301. First mounting cavity; 302. Second mounting cavity; 4. Protective cover; 401. Flange; 5. Base; 6. Drive spring; 7. Electromagnetic coil; 8. Armature; 9. Magnetic shielding ring; 10. Sealing plug; 11. Electrical connector. Detailed Implementation

[0028] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0029] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0030] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0032] In a specific embodiment provided in this disclosure, a lubricating solenoid valve is provided that can reduce the starting load of an aircraft auxiliary power unit, as referenced. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the lubricating solenoid valve includes: a plugging block 1, a drive mechanism, and a mounting housing. The mounting housing is detachably connected to an auxiliary power unit. The mounting housing has a communicating chamber 201, a first through hole 202, and a second through hole 203 that are interconnected. The communicating chamber 201 is connected to the oil inlet of the lubricating pump of the auxiliary power unit through the first through hole 202, and the communicating chamber 201 is connected to the air port of the auxiliary power unit through the second through hole 203. The plugging block 1 is disposed in the communicating chamber 201 and has a plugging state and a communicating state. The drive mechanism is disposed in the mounting housing and is used to drive the plugging block 1 to move along the length direction of the mounting housing, so that the plugging block 1 switches from the plugging state to the communicating state or the communicating state to the plugging state.

[0033] Through the above technical solution, the connecting chamber 201, the first through hole 202 and the second through hole 203 provided on the mounting housing are interconnected, thereby realizing the auxiliary management of the lubrication system of the auxiliary power device. Specifically, the first through hole 202 is connected to the oil inlet of the lubricating oil pump and the second through hole 203 is connected to the air port. This allows the lubricating oil solenoid valve to simultaneously intervene in the oil circuit and air circuit of the lubrication system. On this basis, the sealing block 1 set in the connecting chamber 201 and the drive mechanism that drives the sealing block 1 to move along the length direction of the mounting housing together constitute the state switching execution unit of the sealing block 1.

[0034] The linear movement of the plugging block 1 enables it to reliably cut off the second through hole 203 (air port) in the "plugged state," ensuring that lubricating oil is pumped normally from the first through hole 202. In the "connected state," it can precisely open the second through hole 203, allowing external air to enter the first through hole 202 through the connecting chamber 201. When the auxiliary power unit starts, the drive mechanism can immediately switch the plugging block 1 to the connected state, allowing low-viscosity air to be drawn into the lubricating oil pump, thereby significantly reducing the starting load. When the auxiliary power unit stops, the air passage is reconnected, and air purging is used to assist in oil drainage.

[0035] Therefore, the lubricating solenoid valve can intelligently switch its operating mode according to different working stages of the auxiliary power unit. Specifically, during the start-up stage, it reduces the pump load by introducing air, effectively avoiding cold start drag; during normal operation, it ensures the sealing of the pure lubricating oil circuit, guaranteeing the reliable operation of the lubrication system; and during shutdown, it utilizes the air purging function to promote the rapid return of residual oil in the bearing cavity, eliminating the risk of oil migration. Ultimately, this lubricating solenoid valve significantly improves the reliability, start-up success rate, and maintenance convenience of the auxiliary power unit under different operating conditions.

[0036] In some implementations, reference Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the mounting housing includes a fixedly connected valve housing 2, a mounting frame 3, a protective cover 4, and a base 5. The valve housing 2 has a machined connecting chamber 201, a first through hole 202, and a second through hole 203, which form the basic flow channels for switching between oil and gas circuits. The drive mechanism uses a combination of a drive spring 6, an electromagnetic coil 7, and an armature 8 connected to the sealing block 1, providing reliable driving and resetting force for the sealing block 1. The protective cover 4 and the mounting frame 3 together form a receiving cavity, providing a sealed protective space for the electromagnetic coil 7, effectively resisting external media erosion and ensuring electromagnetic field stability. Simultaneously, the mounting frame 3 has an interconnected first mounting cavity 30. The first mounting cavity 301 and the second mounting cavity 302 provide guidance for the armature 8 and the drive spring 6. That is, the second mounting cavity 302 provides precise guidance for the sliding of the armature 8, ensuring the coaxiality and repeatability of the linear movement of the sealing block 1, thereby reliably opening or closing the second through hole 203. The drive spring 6, which is set in the first mounting cavity 301, has its end inserted into the embedding groove at the end of the armature 8. With the cooperation of the first mounting cavity 301 and the embedding groove, the drive spring 6 can be effectively prevented from deflecting during operation, ensuring that the spring force is always uniformly applied to the armature 8 along the axial direction, so that the sealing block 1 can be smoothly and quickly reset to the sealing state after power is cut off.

[0037] In some implementations, reference Figure 1 As shown, the mounting frame 3 has a mounting through hole. A sealing plug 10 is injected and fixed at one end of the mounting through hole away from the valve housing 2, so that the mounting through hole forms a first mounting cavity 301 and a second mounting cavity 302 that are interconnected. That is, after the sealing plug 10 is pressed into the mounting through hole, the sealing plug 10 is injected and fixed by J-27H high temperature epoxy resin adhesive. The sealing plug 10 constitutes the bottom surface of the first mounting cavity 301. The purpose of setting the sealing plug 10 is to avoid burrs and protrusions caused by incomplete machining of the bottom surface of the deep and long hole of the first mounting cavity 301 during integrated machining, and to reduce the risk of jamming when the drive spring 6 moves.

[0038] In some implementations, reference Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, a magnetic isolation ring 9 is provided on the mounting frame 3. The magnetic isolation ring 9 is positioned between the electromagnetic coil 7 and the armature 8 to optimize the magnetic circuit, allowing more magnetic field lines generated by the electromagnetic coil 7 to pass through the armature 8, thus increasing its driving force. Specifically, the magnetic isolation ring 9 is precisely positioned between the electromagnetic coil 7 and the armature 8. Its key function is to guide and reconstruct the path of the magnetic field lines generated after the electromagnetic coil 7 is energized. Through its own magnetic reluctance characteristics, the magnetic isolation ring 9 can effectively reduce the bypass loss of magnetic field lines in the magnetically conductive components such as the frame, forcing more magnetic flux to concentrate through the path of the working armature 8, thereby significantly increasing the electromagnetic attraction force acting on the armature 8. The direct benefit is that, under the same coil ampere-turns and operating current, the drive mechanism can output a stronger driving force, ensuring that the sealing block 1 can overcome the preload of the drive spring 6 and the resistance of the lubricating oil medium, achieving a fast and reliable opening action. The setting of the magnetic isolation ring 9 improves the overall response sensitivity and operational reliability of the solenoid valve, providing a guarantee for the precise control of the auxiliary power unit under harsh operating conditions.

[0039] In some implementations, reference Figure 1 As shown, the protective cover 4 is provided with a flange 401 for connecting the auxiliary power unit at one end away from the base 5. The flange 401 can be quickly positioned and tightened by bolt connection, ensuring that the valve body can maintain a stable installation posture in the high vibration environment of aircraft operation.

[0040] Meanwhile, the precision-machined annular groove 204 on the outer wall of the valve housing 2 provides accurate installation positioning for the sealing gasket. The interference fit between the annular groove 204 structure and the sealing gasket forms a uniform compression seal at pipe interfaces such as the first through hole 202 and the second through hole 203, effectively preventing leakage of the lubricating oil and air mixture along the joint surface under high pressure.

[0041] In some implementations, reference Figure 1 As shown, the axis of the second through hole 203 is coaxial with the axis of the second mounting cavity 302, which ensures that when the armature 8 moves linearly along the axis of the second mounting cavity 302, the sealing block 1 driven by it can seal the second through hole 203 in a completely vertical and non-skewed manner, ensuring that the sealing block 1 can achieve uniform and reliable sealing in the "sealing state".

[0042] In some implementations, reference Figure 1 As shown, the electrical connector 11 on the base 5 establishes an electrical connection with the electromagnetic coil 7. By directly integrating the electrical connector 11 into the base 5, the length of the internal lead wire is effectively shortened. This not only simplifies the internal wiring and reduces impedance and failure risk, but also provides a solid mechanical support for the connector by utilizing the structural strength of the base 5 itself, thereby enhancing its connection reliability in a vibration environment.

[0043] In some embodiments, there are multiple first through holes 202, which are arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of the valve housing 2. Specifically, there are six first through holes 202. The six circumferentially distributed 8mm first through holes 202 together form the main channel for lubricating oil to enter the valve body. The multi-hole evenly distributed design allows lubricating oil to flow into the connecting chamber 201 evenly and stably from all directions, effectively avoiding hydraulic instability phenomena such as eddies and liquid hammer that may be caused by oil entering from one side, and ensuring the stability of the oil flow field.

[0044] Meanwhile, the second through hole 203 with a diameter of 12mm serves as an air passage, and its flow area is much larger than that of a single first through hole 202. The size difference between the first through hole 202 and the second through hole 203 ensures that when the lubricating solenoid valve switches to the connected state, external air can be preferentially and in large quantities drawn in because its flow resistance is much smaller than that of lubricating oil, thus achieving the goal of significantly reducing the pump load during the start-up phase.

[0045] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lubricating solenoid valve that can reduce the starting load of an aircraft auxiliary power unit, characterized in that, include: The sealing block (1), the drive mechanism, and the mounting housing; The mounting housing is detachably connected to the auxiliary power unit. The mounting housing has a communicating chamber (201), a first through hole (202), and a second through hole (203) that are interconnected. The communicating chamber (201) is connected to the oil inlet of the lubricating pump of the auxiliary power unit through the first through hole (202), and the communicating chamber (201) is connected to the air port of the auxiliary power unit through the second through hole (203). The blocking block (1) is disposed in the communicating chamber (201) and has a blocking state and a communicating state. The driving mechanism is disposed in the mounting housing and is used to drive the blocking block (1) to move along the length direction of the mounting housing, so that the blocking block (1) switches from the blocking state to the communicating state or the communicating state to the blocking state. The mounting housing includes a fixed valve housing (2), a mounting frame (3), a protective cover (4), and a base (5); The valve housing (2) is provided with the communicating chamber (201), the first through hole (202) and the second through hole (203). The driving mechanism includes a driving spring (6), an electromagnetic coil (7) and an armature (8). The armature (8) is connected to the end of the sealing block (1) away from the second through hole (203). The protective cover (4) is sleeved on the outside of the mounting frame (3), and the protective cover (4) and the mounting frame (3) form a structure for housing the electromagnetic coil. 7) The storage cavity, the base (5) is set at one end of the protective cover (4) away from the valve housing (2), the mounting frame (3) is provided with a first mounting cavity (301) and a second mounting cavity (302) that are interconnected, the drive spring (6) is set in the first mounting cavity (301), the armature (8) is slidably connected in the second mounting cavity (302), and the end of the armature (8) away from the sealing block (1) is provided with an embedding groove for the drive spring (6) to be inserted; The mounting frame (3) is provided with a magnetic shielding ring (9); The magnetic isolation ring (9) is disposed between the electromagnetic coil (7) and the armature (8) to optimize the magnetic circuit, so that more magnetic field lines generated by the electromagnetic coil (7) pass through the armature (8), thereby increasing its driving force; The number of the first through holes (202) is multiple, and the multiple first through holes (202) are arranged at equal intervals along the circumference of the valve housing (2); The diameter of the first through hole (202) is 8 mm; The diameter of the second through hole (203) is 12 mm.

2. The lubricating solenoid valve for reducing the starting load of an aircraft auxiliary power unit according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting frame (3) has a mounting through hole, and a sealing plug (10) is injected and fixed at one end of the mounting through hole away from the valve housing (2) so that the mounting through hole forms a first mounting cavity (301) and a second mounting cavity (302) that are interconnected.

3. The lubricating solenoid valve for reducing the starting load of an aircraft auxiliary power unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The protective cover (4) has a flange (401) for connecting the auxiliary power unit at one end away from the base (5).

4. The lubricating solenoid valve for reducing the starting load of an aircraft auxiliary power unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The axis of the second through hole (203) is coaxial with the axis of the second mounting cavity (302).

5. A lubricating solenoid valve for reducing the starting load of an aircraft auxiliary power unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The base (5) is provided with an electrical connector (11), which is electrically connected to the electromagnetic coil (7).

6. A lubricating solenoid valve for reducing the starting load of an aircraft auxiliary power unit according to claim 2, characterized in that: The outer wall surface of the valve housing (2) is provided with an annular groove (204) for installing a sealing gasket.

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