A thermostat assembly

Abstract

This invention discloses a thermostat assembly, including a thermostat base, a thermostat valve, and a housing. The housing is mounted on the thermostat base and has a water inlet pipe. The thermostat base has a double-layer structure, with a partition separating a large circulation chamber and a small circulation chamber. The large circulation chamber is located between the small circulation chamber and the inner cavity of the housing. It also has several thermostat valve mounting holes that connect the housing, the large circulation chamber, and the small circulation chamber. The thermostat valve is installed in the thermostat valve mounting holes. By adjusting the connection between the housing and the large or small circulation chamber, the thermostat valve regulates the engine cooling circulation system to perform large or small circulation. This invention has the advantages of compact structure and effective sealing of the large and small circulation chambers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of engine thermal management technology, and in particular to a thermostat assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the thermostat assembly used in automotive engines mainly consists of a housing and a wax-type thermostat housed within it. The principle of the wax-type thermostat is as follows: when the coolant temperature is below a specified value, the thermostat's sensing element, refined paraffin wax, is solid, and the thermostat housing is closed under the action of a spring. When the coolant temperature reaches the specified value, the paraffin wax begins to melt and gradually becomes liquid, increasing in volume and compressing the rubber tube, causing it to contract. Simultaneously, the rubber tube exerts an upward force on the push rod, which in turn exerts a downward counterforce on the housing, opening the valve and allowing coolant to flow into the cooling cycle. Typically, the engine's coolant circulation includes a large circulation loop and a small circulation loop. The start and stop of the large circulation loop are controlled by opening and closing the large circulation outlet via the thermostat.

[0003] Existing patent document CN111425292B discloses a magnetic thermostat assembly, which has a magnetic thermostat installed in the housing. The magnetic thermostat uses the ferromagnetic property of the thermosensitive magnetic material to control the opening and closing of the thermostat by changing the temperature. It achieves precise temperature control and high sensitivity through the temperature sensing principle of the thermosensitive soft magnet.

[0004] Existing patent document CN218467702U discloses a thermostat and an engine, which mainly solves the technical problem that when the small circulation loop is fully open, the coolant flow rate in the small circulation loop is the largest. The large flow of coolant will take away some of the engine's heat, which is not conducive to the engine's rapid warm-up and will lead to increased engine fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.

[0005] In the two existing patents mentioned above, the outlets of the large and small circulation loops are located in opposite directions, requiring the thermostat to be made high and the flow rate to be small, which makes it difficult to meet the heat dissipation requirements of large displacement V-type engines.

[0006] The above background information is provided only to aid in understanding the concept and technical solution of this invention. It does not necessarily belong to the prior art of this patent application. In the absence of clear evidence that the above information was disclosed on the filing date of this patent application, the above background information should not be used to evaluate the novelty and inventiveness of this application. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The main objective of this invention is to propose a thermostat assembly with a compact structure and good leak-proof performance.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention proposes a thermostat assembly.

[0009] Preferably, the present invention may also have the following technical features:

[0010] A thermostat assembly includes a thermostat base, a thermostat valve, and a housing. The housing is mounted on the thermostat base and has a water inlet pipe. The thermostat base has a double-layer structure with a partition separating a large circulation chamber and a small circulation chamber. The large circulation chamber is located between the small circulation chamber and the inner cavity of the housing. The assembly also has several thermostat valve mounting holes that connect the housing, the large circulation chamber, and the small circulation chamber. The thermostat valve is installed in the thermostat valve mounting holes. By adjusting the connection between the housing and the large or small circulation chamber, the thermostat valve regulates the engine cooling circulation system to perform large or small circulation.

[0011] Furthermore, the mounting holes are formed in the partition plate, the front side of the thermostat seat, and the rear side of the housing, respectively, forming a first mounting hole, a second mounting hole, and a third mounting hole.

[0012] Furthermore, the thermostat valve is an existing wax-type thermostat, which includes a temperature sensing element, a drive assembly, and a valve body. The temperature sensing element is disposed on one side of the drive assembly, and the drive assembly is disposed within the valve body, which includes a wax pack and a push rod. The valve body includes a valve, a valve shell, and a valve seat, and the valve is connected to the side of the push rod away from the temperature sensing element.

[0013] Furthermore, the second mounting hole of the thermostat seat is a stepped hole, and the valve seat is assembled therein. The middle part of the valve is connected to the push rod, the outer side is slidably connected to the first mounting hole, and one end of the valve abuts against the valve seat.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a sealing ring, wherein the first mounting hole has a stepped hole structure, with the small end hole fitting with the outside of the valve and the large end hole for mounting the sealing ring.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a retaining spring, wherein a plurality of L-shaped limiting blocks arranged around the first mounting hole are provided on the front side of the partition, and a retaining groove is formed between the plurality of L-shaped limiting blocks and the front side of the partition, and the retaining spring is installed in the retaining groove.

[0016] Furthermore, the radius of the circle formed by multiple L-shaped limiting blocks is larger than the inner diameter of the sealing ring.

[0017] Furthermore, the inner side of the retaining ring is provided with at least two limiting parts, which increase the contact area with the sealing ring.

[0018] Furthermore, the sealing ring is made of metal.

[0019] Furthermore, the rear side of the thermostat seat is provided with multiple positioning rings, the position of each positioning ring corresponding to the position of each valve.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention compared with the prior art include: by installing a sealing ring to prevent coolant from entering the large circulation chamber from the small circulation chamber, however, since the sealing ring and the large end hole of the first mounting hole are installed by interference fit, in extremely cold regions, under conditions of large coolant water pressure difference and strong impact force, the coolant entering the small circulation chamber will push the sealing ring upwards and dislodge it, causing the coolant in the small circulation chamber to flow into the large circulation chamber through the gap between the valve and the first mounting hole, thus preventing the coolant temperature from rising. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a second sectional view of the present invention, with some parts omitted.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the thermostat base structure of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the thermostat valve of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a front view of the snap ring of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. It should be emphasized that the following description is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the scope or application of the present invention.

[0028] Non-limiting and non-exclusive embodiments will be described with reference to the following figures, wherein the same reference numerals denote the same parts unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0029] like Figure 1-2The thermostat assembly shown includes a thermostat seat 1, a thermostat valve, and a housing 2. The housing 2 has an internal cavity 22, which is fixed to the thermostat seat 1 by multiple bolts. The housing 2 has a water inlet pipe 21 connecting to the internal cavity 22. The thermostat seat 1 has a double-layer structure, with a partition 16 separating a large circulation cavity 12 and a small circulation cavity 11. The large circulation cavity 12 is located between the small circulation cavity 11 and the housing 2. It also has several thermostat valve mounting holes, which penetrate the partition 16, the front side of the thermostat seat 1 (the side where the thermostat seat and housing 2 are in contact), and the rear side of the housing 2, connecting the internal cavity 22, the large circulation cavity 12, and the small circulation cavity 11. The thermostat valve is installed in the thermostat valve mounting holes. By controlling the connection between the internal cavity 22 and the large circulation cavity 12 or the small circulation cavity 11, the thermostat valve regulates the engine cooling circulation system to perform either a large or small circulation cycle. The mounting holes are formed on the partition 16, the front side of the thermostat seat 1, and the rear side of the housing 2, respectively: a first mounting hole 17, a second mounting hole 18, and a third mounting hole. In this embodiment, the thermostat seat 1 is divided into upper and lower layers by a partition 16. The upper layer is a large circulation chamber 12 with a large circulation outlet 8, and the lower layer is a small circulation chamber 11 with a small circulation outlet 4. The housing cavity 22, the large circulation chamber 12, and the small circulation chamber 11 are stacked to form a three-layer cavity structure with a compact overall layout. The thermostat valve is installed in the mounting hole. When the engine coolant is below the preset temperature, the thermostat valve connects the housing cavity 22 and the small circulation chamber 11, allowing the coolant to circulate in the small circulation to quickly increase the engine temperature. When the engine coolant is above the preset temperature, the thermostat valve connects the housing cavity 22 and the large circulation chamber 12, allowing the coolant to circulate in the large circulation to decrease the coolant temperature and improve engine performance.

[0030] The thermostat valve is an existing wax-type thermostat product, such as the wax-type thermostat disclosed in existing patent document CN222228671U. The thermostat valve includes a temperature sensor 31, a drive assembly 34, and a valve body. The temperature sensor 31 is disposed on one side of the drive assembly 34, which is disposed within the valve body. The drive assembly 34 includes a wax pack 38 and a push rod 37. The valve body includes a valve 33, a valve shell 36, and a valve seat 32. The valve 33 is connected to the side of the drive assembly 34 away from the temperature sensor 31, i.e., the end of the push rod 37 is connected to the valve 33. This allows the drive assembly 34 to reciprocate the valve 33 according to changes in coolant temperature, thereby regulating the large or small circulation. The specific structure of the thermostat valve is described in patent document CN222228671U, and will not be elaborated further in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the thermostat valve is connected to the small circulation chamber under normal and low temperature conditions, while valve 33 blocks the large circulation chamber 12. When the coolant temperature is higher than the preset temperature, the wax pack 38 expands due to heat, which drives valve 33 to open and connect the large circulation chamber 12. This causes valve 33 to move downward and abut against the side wall of the small circulation chamber 11, separating the small circulation chamber 11 from the inner cavity 22 of the housing. In other words, one valve can control both the large and small circulations, resulting in a simple and compact structure.

[0031] The second mounting hole 18 of the thermostat seat 1 is a stepped hole, and the valve seat 32 is assembled thereon. The middle part of the valve 33 is connected to the push rod 37, and the outer side is slidably connected to the first mounting hole 17. One end of the valve 33 abuts against the valve seat 32. Thus, since the valve 33 is axially through, during small circulation, the inner cavity 22 of the housing and the small circulation cavity 11 are connected. During large circulation, the push rod 37 pushes the valve 33 to move guided by the first mounting hole 17 of the partition 16, so that the rear side of the valve 33 abuts against the rear side of the thermostat seat 1. At this time, the inside of the valve 33 is separated from the small circulation cavity 11, and the front side of the valve 33 is separated from the valve seat 32, so that the inside of the valve 33 is connected to the large circulation cavity 12.

[0032] Preferably, a sealing ring 6 is also included. The first mounting hole 17 has a stepped hole structure, with its small end hole fitting with the outside of the valve 33, and the large end hole 15 for mounting the sealing ring 6. In this embodiment, the sealing ring 6 is installed to prevent coolant from the small circulation chamber from entering the large circulation chamber 12. However, since the sealing ring 6 and the large end hole 15 of the first mounting hole are installed with an interference fit, in extremely cold regions, under conditions of large coolant water pressure difference and strong impact force, the coolant entering the small circulation chamber 11 can push the sealing ring 6 upwards and dislodge it. This causes the coolant from the small circulation chamber 11 to flow into the large circulation chamber 12 through the gap between the valve 33 and the first mounting hole 17, resulting in a slow rise in coolant temperature and engine temperature, affecting engine performance.

[0033] As a further improvement, a retaining spring 7 is also included. Multiple L-shaped limiting blocks 13 arranged around the first mounting hole 17 are provided on the front side of the partition 16. A retaining groove 14 is formed between the multiple L-shaped limiting blocks 13 and the front side of the partition 1. The retaining spring 7 is installed in the retaining groove 14, pressing the end face of the sealing ring 6 to prevent it from falling off. Preferably, to prevent the limiting blocks 13 from interfering with the installation of the sealing ring 6, the radius of the circle formed by the multiple L-shaped limiting blocks 13 is larger than the inner diameter of the sealing ring 6. At least two radial limiting portions 61 are provided on the inner side of the retaining spring 7, pressing the sealing ring 6. For example, the head of the retaining spring is one limiting portion, and another limiting portion is provided on the opposite side of the head. The sealing ring 6 is made of metal.

[0034] Preferably, the thermostat seat 1 is provided with a plurality of positioning rings 5 ​​on the rear side, and the position of each positioning ring 5 corresponds to the position of each valve 33. When switching to the large circulation, the valve 33 gradually moves to the rear side of the thermostat seat 1 until it abuts against the positioning ring 5, separating the inner cavity 22 of the housing and the small circulation cavity 11, and cutting off the flow of the small circulation.

[0035] Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous variations are possible with respect to the above description, and the embodiments and figures are merely for describing one or more specific implementations.

[0036] Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and substitutions can be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, many modifications can be made to adapt specific situations to the doctrine of the invention without departing from the central concepts of the invention described herein. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but may include all embodiments and equivalents that fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A thermostat assembly, comprising a thermostat base, a thermostat valve, and a housing, wherein the housing is mounted on the thermostat base and has a water inlet pipe, characterized in that: The thermostat housing has a double-layer structure, with a partition separating a large circulation chamber and a small circulation chamber. The large circulation chamber is located between the small circulation chamber and the inner cavity of the housing. It also has several thermostat valve mounting holes, which connect the housing, the large circulation chamber, and the small circulation chamber. The thermostat valve is installed in the thermostat valve mounting holes. By adjusting the connection between the housing and the large circulation chamber or the small circulation chamber, the thermostat valve can regulate the engine cooling circulation system to perform large or small circulation.

2. The thermostat assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting holes are formed in the partition, the front side of the thermostat seat, and the rear side of the housing, respectively.

3. The thermostat assembly as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The thermostat valve is an existing wax-type thermostat, which includes a temperature sensing element, a drive assembly, and a valve body. The temperature sensing element is located on one side of the drive assembly, and the drive assembly is located inside the valve body. It includes a wax pack and a push rod. The valve body includes a valve, a valve shell, and a valve seat. The valve is connected to the side of the push rod away from the temperature sensing element.

4. The thermostat assembly as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The second mounting hole of the thermostat seat is a stepped hole, and the valve seat is assembled thereon. The middle part of the valve is connected to the push rod, the outer side is slidably connected to the first mounting hole, and one end of the valve abuts against the valve seat.

5. The thermostat assembly as described in claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a sealing ring. The first mounting hole has a stepped hole structure, with the small end hole fitting with the outside of the valve and the large end hole for installing the sealing ring.

6. The thermostat assembly as described in claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a retaining spring, wherein a plurality of L-shaped limiting blocks are arranged around the first mounting hole on the front side of the partition, and a retaining groove is formed between the plurality of L-shaped limiting blocks and the front side of the partition, and the retaining spring is installed in the retaining groove.

7. The thermostat assembly as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The radius of the circle formed by multiple L-shaped limiting blocks is larger than the inner diameter of the sealing ring.

8. The thermostat assembly as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The inner side of the snap ring is provided with at least two limiting parts, which increase the contact area with the sealing ring.

9. The thermostat assembly as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The sealing ring is made of metal.

10. The thermostat assembly as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The thermostat base is also provided with multiple positioning rings on its rear side, and the position of each positioning ring corresponds to the position of each valve.

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