Self-backflow waterproof and oil-proof breather valve

Abstract

The utility model provides a self-backflow waterproof and oil-proof ventilation valve which is applied to the technical field of ventilation valves, an oil gathering layer with the remarkable self-backflow characteristic and / or a water-drop-shaped oil dripping part are / is additionally arranged in the ventilation valve to form a brand-new waterproof and oil-proof ventilation valve, and the oil gathering layer is arranged on the lower portion of the interior of a ventilation valve shell and located below a filtering assembly; the oil gathering part is used for accelerating gathering of oil liquid from the filtering assembly, and the water-drop-shaped oil dripping part is used for gathering oil liquid falling back from the upper portion, such as oil liquid gathered by the filtering assembly or the oil gathering layer, into water-drop-shaped oil drops. Therefore, the water-drop-shaped oil drops are quickly discharged from the lower port in the ventilation valve shell under the physical action, and the problems of the waterproof and oil-proof ventilation valve in practical application are fundamentally solved, for example, the problems that the ventilation volume is drastically reduced, the ventilation valve is blocked, and the ventilation valve leaks oil.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of breather valve, in particular to a self-refluxing waterproof and oil-proof breather valve. BACKGROUND

[0002] At present, the breather valve products on the market have oil gathering structure (such as filter medium) and inner wall structure and bottom discharge port structure that can slow down the return of oil liquid, but some new problems are encountered in actual application, for example, in new application occasions with lower viscosity and higher volatility of lubricating oil, more oil gas and oil mist appear in the breather valve, and the slowly returned oil liquid can easily cause the breather valve to have sharp decrease in air permeability or even be blocked, thereby affecting the reliability and service life of the breather valve. CONTENT OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Therefore, the present application provides a self-refluxing waterproof and oil-proof breather valve, which can realize rapid gathering and automatic reflux of oil liquid by improving the oil liquid gathering and / or discharging structure in the breather valve.

[0004] The present application provides the following technical solutions:

[0005] The self-refluxing waterproof and oil-proof breather valve provided by the present application comprises a valve cover, a breather membrane, a shell, and a filter assembly. The valve cover is arranged above the breather membrane. The breather membrane is arranged on the upper portion of the shell. The filter assembly is arranged in the interior of the shell and is used for gathering oil liquid. The self-refluxing waterproof and oil-proof breather valve further comprises an oil gathering layer and / or a plurality of water-drop-shaped oil dripping portions arranged in the interior lower portion of the shell and below the filter assembly. The oil gathering layer is arranged below the filter assembly and is used for accelerating the gathering of oil liquid from the filter assembly. The water-drop-shaped oil dripping portion is used for gathering the oil liquid gathered from the filter assembly or the oil gathering layer into water-drop-shaped oil drops, so that the water-drop-shaped oil drops are accelerated to be discharged from the lower portion of the shell under the action of physical force.

[0006] Preferably, the filter assembly comprises a pre-filter and a porous material layer. The pre-filter is arranged above the porous material layer. The porous material layer is used for coalescing oil gas and providing an air permeable channel for the rising gas flow and a quick reflux channel for the gathered oil falling from the pre-filter. The pre-filter is used for filtering oil in the oil gas and gathered oil gas and providing an air permeable channel. The oil gathered by the pre-filter falls to the porous material layer under the action of physical force.

[0007] Preferably, the porous material layer comprises an open-cell foam layer formed by one material or a combination of multiple materials, such as foam metal, foam carbon, and foam silicon.

[0008] Preferably, the porosity of the porous material layer is 70%-99%.

[0009] And / or, the pore diameter of the porous material layer includes 0.01 mm to 10 mm;

[0010] And / or, the pores of the porous material layer are oil-absorbing or oil-repellent pores;

[0011] And / or, the ratio of the thickness of the porous material layer to the thickness of the pre-filter includes 0.1-5;

[0012] And / or, the pre-filter comprises a material layer formed of one or more of the following materials: open foam porous material, adsorbent filter material, oleophobic filter material;

[0013] And / or, the pre-filter comprises a material layer formed of one or more of the following materials: fibrous filter material, carbon material, carbon-containing adsorbent material;

[0014] And / or, a predetermined interval is provided between the pre-filter and the porous material layer; the filter assembly further includes an annular oil-separating gasket, the annular portion of which is sandwiched between the pre-filter and the porous material layer, the hollow portion of which forms the predetermined interval, the predetermined interval being used to provide a spatial channel for oil and gas rising from the porous material layer and oil falling back from the pre-filter.

[0015] Preferably, the side of the oil-coated layer opposite to the porous material layer is provided with an alternating height section, which is used to accelerate the aggregation of the oil.

[0016] Preferably, the alternating height section is wavy, and the crest of the wave corresponds to the middle of the teardrop-shaped oil drop section.

[0017] Preferably, the breathable membrane is a porous waterproof and breathable membrane made of polyethersulfone, polyphosphoramide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphenylene ether, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene membrane material, and the waterproof and breathable membrane does not contain PFAS substances.

[0018] And / or, the breathable membrane is embedded in the upper part of the housing;

[0019] And / or, the connection between the breathable membrane and the housing is any one or more of the following combinations: welding, bonding, pressing, or film insert injection molding.

[0020] Preferably, the self-returning waterproof and oil-proof vent valve further includes a ventilating and oil-blocking component, wherein the ventilating and oil-blocking component is disposed at the bottom of the housing and is used to block oil discharged from the lower part of the housing from any one or more of the following oil-blocking functions: oil splashing, static oil pressure erosion.

[0021] Preferably, the breathable oil-blocking component includes an oil-blocking component composed of one or more of the following materials: metal mesh, polyester fabric, nylon fabric, duckbill valve, capillary tube, and one-way valve;

[0022] And / or, the connection between the breathable oil-blocking component and the housing is any one or more of the following connection methods: welding, snap-fitting, bonding, or inserting.

[0023] Preferably, a plurality of openings are provided on the top of the housing in the circumferential direction, and the housing below the plurality of openings is provided with a first recess in the radial direction, the first recess being used to embed the breathable membrane;

[0024] And / or, the outer periphery of the housing is provided with a first mating part, and the inner periphery of the valve cover is provided with a second mating part, wherein the valve cover and the housing are connected by a nested mating connection between the first mating part and the second mating part, and the nested mating connection between the first mating part and the second mating part is used to provide a detour ventilation channel for the breathable membrane;

[0025] And / or, the housing is provided with mounting threads and / or mounting portions;

[0026] And / or, the housing located around the opening of the teardrop-shaped oil droplet is provided with an inclined surface, the inclined surface being used to converge the oil towards the teardrop-shaped oil droplet at a set inclined angle.

[0027] Preferably, in any example of the self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve described in this application, the plurality of teardrop-shaped oil-drip portions are arranged circumferentially.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects that at least one of the above-mentioned technical solutions adopted in this application can achieve include at least:

[0029] By adding an oil-gathering layer and / or a teardrop-shaped oil-drip section inside the vent valve housing, the oil can be accelerated to converge downwards and be discharged in a timely manner, forming a rapid liquid return structure inside the vent valve. This enables rapid and automatic oil return and discharge, avoiding oil accumulation that could lead to decreased air permeability or even blockage. This fundamentally solves the problems that occur in the practical application of waterproof and oil-proof vent valves, such as a sharp decrease in air permeability, vent valve blockage, and oil leakage, ultimately improving the reliability and lifespan of the vent valve. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a self-returning waterproof and oil-proof vent valve and its teardrop-shaped oil dripping part in this application;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to this application;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional exploded view of a self-returning waterproof and oil-proof vent valve according to this application;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a planar exploded schematic diagram of a self-returning waterproof and oil-proof vent valve according to this application;

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an exploded planar cross-section of a self-returning waterproof and oil-proof vent valve according to this application;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to this application;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a top view schematic diagram of a self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to this application;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a bottom view schematic diagram of a self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to this application;

[0039] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the drive unit for the self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve used in this application;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a front view schematic diagram of the drive unit for the self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve used in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this application from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. This application can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this application. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0043] It should be noted that various aspects of embodiments within the scope of the appended claims are described below. It will be apparent that the aspects described herein can be embodied in a wide variety of forms, and any particular structure and / or function described herein is merely illustrative. Based on this application, those skilled in the art will understand that one aspect described herein can be implemented independently of any other aspect, and two or more of these aspects can be combined in various ways. For example, any number and aspects set forth herein can be used to implement the device and / or practice the method. Additionally, this device and / or method can be implemented using structures and / or functionalities other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein.

[0044] It should also be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of this application. The drawings only show the components related to this application and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0045] Additionally, specific details are provided in the following description to facilitate a thorough understanding of the examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that practice can be carried out without these specific details.

[0046] Existing designs for waterproof and oil-proof vent valves for drive units each have their own shortcomings:

[0047] For example, some solutions are designed to address the waterproof and breathable requirements of the drive unit in traditional fuel vehicles, such as documents CN107206300A, CN101466452B, CN107289165A, CN207049387U, and CN110345287A.

[0048] For example, some solutions are designed only to block oil splashes, such as document CN214425204U, which simply adds a spiral column inside the product without providing a detailed description of the test and data. Moreover, the product cannot solve problems such as oil and gas and aerosols, and it is very easy to get clogged during use.

[0049] For example, some solutions only add one or more pre-filter materials or structures at the front end of the product, such as documents CN220268382U, CN107289165B, CN207049387U, CN211779237U, CN110345287A, etc., which lack a description of the specific capabilities for treating oil, aerosols, and oil and gas, as well as test methods for the product's related capabilities.

[0050] Furthermore, existing solutions are even more inadequate in the application of new energy drive units:

[0051] For example, document CN101466452B does not clarify whether it is applicable to new energy drive motors. After the adsorption filter material absorbs oil, it cannot flow back in time, so the product will be blocked and cannot handle application problems such as oil splashing and oil impact.

[0052] For example, document CN107206300A does not clarify whether it is applicable to new energy drive motors; it cannot handle problems such as oil splashing and oil backflow; its installation method is complex and has high requirements for size and space; it does not explain the ability of the overall pre-filter material to absorb oil and the change in air permeability; it does not explain the ability to prevent oil backflow, etc.

[0053] For example, CN220268382U adds an oil-blocking breathable component between the oil-absorbing breathable component and the waterproof breathable membrane. However, adding an oil-blocking breathable component at the rear end cannot fundamentally solve the clogging problem after the adsorption pre-filter material is saturated. Furthermore, it does not describe the specific material and characteristics of the oil-blocking breathable component, nor does it describe the ability to handle oil, aerosols, and oil and gas, or the test methods for the product's related capabilities.

[0054] For example, the test method described in CN116951149A differs significantly from actual applications. The pressure difference generated by the drive unit in actual operation is low, only about 0.1-0.5 kPa, while the test method given in this document uses pressures exceeding 10 kPa to test the vent valve, resulting in test results showing that the product performs better than traditional waterproof oil filter vent valves. Although the document states that "the fibers near the bottom have oil affinity and wettability with the oil, while the fibers near the top have oil repulsion and wettability with the oil. Droplets flowing upward from the bottom due to capillary action are blocked, and droplets carried into the top by airflow inertia are drawn back to the bottom under the action of wettability gradient force, forming a unidirectional flow of droplets from top to bottom," it does not provide specific details regarding the processing of oil and the self-recirculation capability of liquid oil droplets.

[0055] Other existing solutions also have similar shortcomings, such as CN214425204U, CN207049387U, CN107289165B, CN110345287A, CN217653309U, etc., which lack the ability to handle oil, aerosols, and oil and gas.

[0056] In view of this, in the process of exploring improvements to the vent valve, how to quickly accelerate the downward convergence of the oil collected by the filter components within the vent valve, and how to quickly discharge this converged oil, are very important factors that can affect the performance of the vent valve. If the oil cannot quickly converge and fall back and be discharged in time, it may adhere and form a blockage, thus affecting the performance of the vent valve.

[0057] Based on this, this application proposes a new solution to accelerate the oil accumulation and discharge within the vent valve: Inside the vent valve, an oil-gathering layer and / or a teardrop-shaped oil-drip section are added to rapidly collect and fall back the oil, forming an innovative oil-gathering self-recirculation structure with superior self-recirculation characteristics. This new structure accelerates the oil accumulation loop and timely discharge, fundamentally solving new problems caused by the slow fall or discharge of oil inside the waterproof and oil-proof vent valve, such as the slow fall of oil affecting the air permeability, or even causing a rapid decrease in air permeability and blockage.

[0058] It should be noted that by adding self-recirculating structures such as oil-gathering layers and / or water droplets, the speed and efficiency of oil convergence and fall can be accelerated, allowing the oil to be discharged from the vent valve in a timely manner. This avoids the accumulation of oil inside the vent valve, effectively improving the performance of the vent valve and significantly enhancing its core indicators such as reliability and lifespan.

[0059] The technical solutions provided by the various embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] This application provides a self-recirculating waterproof and oil-proof vent valve. Based on first principles of physics, it designs a structure that accelerates airflow and facilitates the convergence and return of oil, forming an oil self-recirculation structure with strong oil-gathering and self-recirculation characteristics inside the vent valve. This accelerates airflow and oil convergence and discharge within the vent valve, fundamentally solving problems encountered in practical applications of waterproof and oil-proof vent valves, such as drastic reduction in air permeability, vent valve blockage, and oil leakage. Furthermore, it addresses issues such as oil leakage, water ingress, and inability to quickly balance internal air pressure in the drive unit during testing or the vehicle's lifespan.

[0061] The following example uses an improved design of one or more structures of a breather valve as a reference. Figures 1 to 8 The following is a schematic illustration of the vent valve provided in this application.

[0062] In some examples, a porous oil-permeable material layer 7 is used in the lower part of the vent valve housing 2. Since the porous material layer 7 is a new porous foam material layer structure, the large number of pores in the structure can be used to form a large number of venting channels, oil-permeable channels, and fall-back channels for the vent valve, thereby significantly improving the performance of the vent valve through these channels.

[0063] refer to Figures 1-8As illustrated, a self-recirculating waterproof and oil-proof ventilating valve may include a valve cover 1, a housing 2, an oil-permeable porous material layer 7, and a ventilating membrane 4. The porous material layer 7 is disposed inside the housing 1 (for example, in the lower part of the housing 2), the ventilating membrane 4 is disposed in the upper part of the housing 2, and the valve cover 1 covers the upper part of the housing 2. Thus, when oil and gas rise from the lower channel 9 of the housing 2 inside the housing 2, the porous material layer 7 can provide a large number of ventilating channels with good air permeability for these airflows, and can also accelerate the rapid convergence and fallback of oil components in the airflow when these airflows pass through the porous material layer 7.

[0064] For example, for rising airflow, these pores form a large number of well-permeable flow channels, so these airflows can quickly pass through the porous material layer 7, effectively avoiding a sharp drop or even blockage of the air permeability inside the air valve, and ultimately achieving the good air permeability design requirements of the air valve.

[0065] For example, for these airflows along the path, these pores with good characteristics form oil-gathering channels, so that the oil components in the airflow can be gathered by the pore channels with good oil-gathering properties to form oil, and the oil components in the airflow can also continuously gather and fall back along the channels at an accelerated speed, improving the speed and efficiency of gathering and falling back.

[0066] For example, for the falling oil, these pores form a smooth falling channel, which can accelerate the falling speed and efficiency of the oil, and ultimately achieve the design requirement of rapid self-recirculation.

[0067] In some examples, a plurality of teardrop-shaped oil droplets 10 are provided in the lower part of the vent valve housing 2. The oil droplets 10 quickly gather the oil aggregated from the upper filter assembly and form teardrop-shaped oil droplets. Thus, the teardrop-shaped oil droplets can be quickly discharged from the lower part of the housing 2 under physical action (such as gravity).

[0068] refer to Figures 1-8 As illustrated, a self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve may include a valve cover 1, a housing 2, a filter assembly, and a breathable membrane 4, wherein the filter assembly is located inside the housing 1, the breathable membrane 4 is located on the upper part of the housing 2, the valve cover 1 covers the upper part of the housing 2, and a plurality of teardrop-shaped oil dripping parts 10 are provided in the lower part of the housing 2.

[0069] After the vent valve is installed with the drive unit, the oil and gas rise from the bottom to the top inside the housing 2 through the lower channel 9. Since the housing 2 is equipped with a filter component (such as the porous material layer 7 in the previous example, or the filtration method mentioned below), and the filter component can filter the oil and gas, the oil and gas are agglomerated into oil when passing through the filter component. The oil then flows downwards after gathering, and then gathers into the water droplet-shaped oil drop section 10 at the bottom of the housing 2. The water droplet-shaped oil drop section 10 continuously gathers the oil from the filter component, forming water droplet-shaped oil droplets. Finally, the water droplet-shaped oil droplets can be quickly discharged from the bottom of the housing 2 to the outside under their own gravity, avoiding the oil from clogging inside the housing 2 of the vent valve.

[0070] refer to Figures 1 to 2 As shown, by setting the interior of the housing 2 around the opening on the teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10 as an inclined surface, the oil falling from the filter assembly is quickly gathered and discharged into the teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10 at an inclined angle set by the inclined surface.

[0071] In some examples, multiple teardrop-shaped oil droplets are arranged circumferentially to accelerate the fall of the droplets.

[0072] In addition, because the filter assembly can quickly coalesce oil and gas into oil, the oil components in the oil and gas are less likely to reach the vent membrane 4, thus preventing the oil from coalescing on the vent membrane 4 and clogging it. Furthermore, the valve cover 1 covers the vent membrane 4 on the upper part of the housing 2, which not only allows for timely exhaust but also prevents external dust, liquid water, etc. from entering the vent membrane 4.

[0073] It should be noted that the filter assembly can be a traditional filter medium, that is, a filter material is inserted inside the housing 2 as a filter layer, thereby using the filter material layer to filter oil and gas to form oil. Of course, the filter assembly can also adopt the relevant example methods provided in this application.

[0074] In some examples, this application provides a preferred filtering component scheme.

[0075] refer to Figures 2 to 5 The filter assembly includes a pre-filter 5 and a porous material layer 7. By placing the pre-filter 5 above the porous material layer 7, the porous material layer 7 provides a continuous permeable channel for the rising oil and gas fluid, and a rapid return channel for the collected oil falling from the pre-filter 5. Secondly, the pre-filter 5 filters and collects the oil in the oil and gas, and then the oil falls back from the pre-filter 5 to the porous material layer 7 under gravity, and continues to fall downwards from the porous material layer 7, thus converging at the lower teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10 for rapid discharge. Additionally, the pre-filter 5 also provides a permeable channel for the continuous flow of air.

[0076] By employing a filter assembly consisting of a porous material layer 7 and a pre-filter element 5, the dynamic characteristics of fluid flow, such as rising oil and gas and falling oil, can be easily altered by adjusting one or more factors, such as the material type, pore size, pore structure, or porosity of the porous material layer 7, thereby accelerating oil and gas coalescence and oil aggregation and discharge.

[0077] In addition, by using an open-cell foam porous material with high filtration efficiency and self-recirculation function, the oil can be quickly recirculated while maintaining good air permeability.

[0078] In some embodiments, after the porous material layer 7 is used in this application, it is possible to form a water droplet-shaped rapid oil dripping structure with super strong self-recirculation characteristics. It can also be treated with a special oleophobic process, so that the flow guiding structure has the function of rapid oil guiding, which can realize the rapid self-recirculation of oil (such as lubricating oil) and continuously maintain the air permeability of the product at a good level.

[0079] In some examples, the porous material layer 7 includes an open foam layer formed of one or more of the following materials: foamed metal, foamed carbon, and foamed silicon. Specifically, the open foam porous material includes, but is not limited to, one or more combinations of foamed metal, foamed carbon, and foamed silicon.

[0080] It should be noted that the foam structure layer can refer to a material layer containing foam pores, and the porous material can refer to a type of material containing interconnected pores and irregular pores, and the pores in the material can provide channels for the flow of gas and fluid. Therefore, the porous material layer 7 can be a commercially available product, and is not limited here.

[0081] In some examples, open-cell porous foam materials refer to porous materials containing foam pores with a porosity of 70%-99%, and possessing a certain strength and stiffness. These porous materials have high porosity, facilitating the provision of different channels for oil and gas and oil fluids, thus accelerating coalescence and aggregation.

[0082] In some examples, the pore diameter ranges from 0.01 mm to 10 mm, facilitating the flow of oil and gas particles and oil liquids of different sizes.

[0083] In some examples, the foam material can be oil-absorbing or oil-repellent, that is, the pores of the porous material layer 7 are oil-absorbing or oil-repellent pores.

[0084] In summary, by adjusting the type of porous material, pore size, pore structure, or porosity, it is convenient to provide channels for oil and gas fluids with different properties, thereby changing the dynamic characteristics of fluid flow.

[0085] In some embodiments, by changing the thickness ratio of the pre-filter 5 and the porous material layer 7, a more suitable channel length can be provided for the flow of oil and gas and oil liquid inside the shell 2, which can further enhance the oil and gas coalescence and oil liquid aggregation effect. For example, the ratio of the thickness of the porous material layer 7 to the thickness of the pre-filter 5 is 0.1-5.

[0086] For example, by setting the ratio to around 0.1, that is, by setting the thickness of the porous material layer 7 to be much smaller than the thickness of the pre-filter 5, the pre-filter 5 can still use low-cost filter media materials, and the product cost can be reduced while ensuring that the air valve can meet the design performance requirements such as air permeability, oil concentration and self-recirculation.

[0087] For example, by setting the ratio to around 5, that is, setting the thickness of the porous material layer 7 to be much larger than the thickness of the pre-filter 5, although more expensive porous material layers 7 are required, key performance characteristics such as air permeability, oil absorption, and reflux characteristics can be significantly improved, better meeting the requirements of higher performance applications.

[0088] In some embodiments, the pre-filter element 5 may be one or more combinations of open-cell porous foam material, adsorbent pre-filter material, and oleophobic pre-filter material. Furthermore, the pre-filter material is not limited to fibrous filter material, carbon material, carbon-containing adsorbent material, etc.

[0089] Therefore, the pre-filter 5 can be made of open foam porous material or other pre-filter materials (not limited to one or more combinations of fibrous filter materials, carbon materials, carbon-containing adsorbent materials, etc.).

[0090] In some embodiments, a predetermined interval is provided between the pre-filter 5 and the porous material layer 7, that is, the pre-filter 5 and the porous material layer 7 are not in direct contact.

[0091] refer to Figure 2 The diagram illustrates that a predetermined interval is provided between the pre-filter 5 and the porous material layer 7, and then an annular oil separator 6 is provided in this interval, such that the annular portion of the oil separator 6 is sandwiched between the pre-filter 5 and the porous material layer 7. This means that the hollow portion of the oil separator 6 forms the predetermined interval between the pre-filter 5 and the porous material layer 7, thereby providing a spatial channel for the oil and gas rising from the porous material layer 7 and the oil falling back from the pre-filter 5 through this predetermined interval, which is beneficial to accelerate the rise of oil and gas and the fall of oil.

[0092] In some embodiments, the performance of the vent valve can also be improved by modifying the mounting structure and connection method of the vent membrane 4 on the upper part of the housing 2.

[0093] like Figure 2As shown, the breathable membrane 4 is embedded in the upper part of the housing 2 and then covered by the valve cover 1. Based on the embedded installation structure provided in the upper part of the housing 2, it is convenient to install the breathable membrane 4 and can also be used to improve the waterproof and oil-proof performance of the breathable valve.

[0094] In some examples, the connection between the breathable membrane 4 and the housing 2 can be any one or more of the following connection methods: welding, bonding, pressing, film insert injection molding, etc.

[0095] In some examples, the breathable membrane 4 can be a waterproof and breathable membrane made of polyethersulfone or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) material, thus free of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Therefore, using PFAS-free polyethersulfone (PES) or UHMWPE for the breathable membrane 4 represents a novel application of PFAS-free technology, enabling breathable valve products to be used in areas where PFAS are prohibited, thereby meeting potential regulatory requirements for PFAS-free compliance.

[0096] Furthermore, compared to PFAS-containing products, the improved PFAS-free breathable membrane results in lower environmental and health risks for the breathable valve product, with less pollution throughout its lifecycle. Simultaneously, the product also exhibits better flame retardancy, water resistance, and oil resistance, providing a safer option for various applications.

[0097] In some embodiments, an oil-polymer layer can be provided inside the housing 2 to further accelerate oil and gas coalescence and oil fallback.

[0098] refer to Figure 2 The illustration shows that an oil-gathering layer 8 is provided above the teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10. For example, the oil-gathering layer 8 is provided between the teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10 and the filter component (such as the porous material layer 7 in the previous example). The oil-gathering layer 8 is used to further and quickly gather the oil from the filter component, so that the gathered oil can gather and be discharged from the teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10 more quickly.

[0099] By adding an oil-coating layer 8, the flow guiding structure has a super strong self-recirculation characteristic. After the oil-coating layer and the teardrop-shaped rapid oil-dripping structure are further treated with a special oleophobic process, the flow guiding structure will have an even faster oil-guiding function.

[0100] In some examples, by using a combination of open foam porous material layer 7, oil-polylayer 8, channel 9 and teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10, rapid self-recirculation of lubricating oil can be achieved, and the product's air permeability can be maintained at a good level.

[0101] In some examples, the side of the polyoil layer 8 facing the teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10 is configured with alternating heights. (Reference) Figure 2 As shown, the staggered height section is correspondingly arranged with the teardrop-shaped oil dripping section 10. When the oil and gas and the oil converge at the staggered height section, the oil will quickly converge along the staggered height section and accelerate dripping towards the teardrop-shaped oil dripping section 10, thereby accelerating the convergence and fall speed of the oil and improving the oil discharge effect of the vent valve.

[0102] In some examples, the height-to-height alternation is set in a wavy shape (see reference). Figure 2 (Schematic structure), and the wavy crests are set to correspond to the middle of the teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10, so that the oil collected by the oil-gathering layer 8 is quickly dripped onto the teardrop-shaped oil droplet 10 and discharged.

[0103] In some implementations, by using an innovative oil-blocking structure design, namely by using an oil-blocking venting element in the venting valve, the venting valve can withstand the impact of oil vapor, aerosol and oil.

[0104] In practice, a breathable oil-blocking component (not shown in the figure) is installed at the bottom of the housing 2, thereby using the breathable oil-blocking component to block the oil discharged from the bottom of the housing 2 from any one or more of the following oil-blocking effects: oil splashing, static oil pressure erosion.

[0105] Therefore, by adding a breathable oil-blocking component to the bottom of the breather valve, certain functions such as preventing oil splashing and static oil pressure erosion can be provided.

[0106] The oil baffle can be one or more of the following: metal mesh, polyester fabric, nylon fabric, duckbill valve, capillary tube, or check valve.

[0107] Furthermore, the oil-blocking component can be connected to the waterproof and oil-proof vent valve through any one or more combinations of welding, snap-fitting, bonding, pressing, or inserting.

[0108] In any example of this application, improvements to the structure of the valve cover 1, housing 2, etc., can also improve the performance of breathability, water resistance, and oil resistance.

[0109] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the top of the housing 2 has a plurality of openings 21 in the circumferential direction, and the housing 2 located below the plurality of openings has a first recess in the radial direction, which can be used to embed the breathable membrane 4.

[0110] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, a first mating part 22 is provided on the outer periphery of the housing 2, and a second mating part 11 is provided on the inner periphery of the valve cover 1. Therefore, the valve cover 1 and the housing 2 are connected by a nested mating connection between the first mating part 22 and the second mating part 11. This not only allows the valve cover 1 to be installed on the housing 2, but also provides a longer, meandering ventilation channel for the breathable membrane 4, further blocking external moisture, dust, etc., and ensuring that the breathable membrane 4 always has good ventilation performance.

[0111] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As illustrated, the housing 2 is provided with a mounting part 23 and / or mounting threads 24. The mounting part 23 is configured in the form of a flange, a wrench-tightening structure, etc., allowing the vent valve to be mounted to the drive unit housing. Similarly, the mounting threads 24 on the housing 2 facilitate the mounting of the vent valve to the drive unit housing using a threaded mounting structure.

[0112] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a driving unit.

[0113] refer to Figures 9 to 10 The drive unit may include a housing 14 and a vent valve 13, wherein the vent valve 13 is the self-returning waterproof and oil-proof vent valve described in any of the foregoing examples of this application. The vent valve 13 is installed on the housing 14, so that the drive unit can use the vent valve 13 to accelerate the self-returning of oil, avoid clogging of the vent valve, and ensure product reliability and lifespan.

[0114] In addition, the drive unit can be any of the following: reducer, gearbox, oil-cooled motor, hub motor, transfer case, differential, or generator.

[0115] In this specification, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the descriptions of the embodiments described later are relatively simple, and relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of the foregoing embodiments.

[0116] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A self-recirculating, waterproof, oil-proof, and breathable valve, comprising a valve cover, a breathable membrane, a housing, and a filter assembly, wherein the valve cover covers the breathable membrane, the breathable membrane is disposed on the upper part of the housing, and the filter assembly is disposed inside the housing for collecting oil, characterized in that... The self-recirculating waterproof and oil-proof vent valve further includes: an oil-gathering layer and / or several teardrop-shaped oil-drop sections disposed in the lower part of the housing and below the filter assembly, wherein the oil-gathering layer is disposed below the filter assembly to accelerate the collection of oil from the filter assembly; the teardrop-shaped oil-drop sections are used to gather the oil collected from the filter assembly or the oil-gathering layer into teardrop-shaped oil droplets, so that the teardrop-shaped oil droplets are discharged from the lower part of the housing more quickly under physical action.

2. The self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The filtration assembly includes a pre-filter and a porous material layer, wherein the pre-filter is disposed above the porous material layer; the porous material layer is used to coalesce oil and gas and provide a permeable channel for the rising airflow, as well as to provide a rapid return channel for the collected oil falling back from the pre-filter; the pre-filter is used to filter oil and gas and collect oil in the oil and gas and provide a permeable channel; the oil collected by the pre-filter falls back to the porous material layer under physical action.

3. The self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The porosity of the porous material layer ranges from 70% to 99%. The pore diameter of the porous material layer ranges from 0.01 mm to 10 mm; The pores in the porous material layer are oil-absorbing or oil-repellent pores; The ratio of the thickness of the porous material layer to the thickness of the pre-filter includes 0.1-5; A predetermined interval is provided between the pre-filter and the porous material layer; the filter assembly also includes an annular oil-separating gasket, the annular portion of which is sandwiched between the pre-filter and the porous material layer, and the hollow portion of which forms the predetermined interval, which provides a spatial channel for oil and gas rising from the porous material layer and oil falling back from the pre-filter.

4. The self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The side of the oil-coated layer opposite to the porous material layer is provided with an alternating height section, which is used to accelerate the convergence of the oil.

5. The self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The alternating height section is configured as a wave shape; and / or, the crest of the wave shape is configured to correspond to the middle of the teardrop-shaped oil droplet section.

6. The self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The breathable membrane is a porous waterproof and breathable membrane made of polyethersulfone, polyphosphoramide, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphenylene ether, or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene membrane material, and the waterproof and breathable membrane does not contain PFAS substances; And / or, the breathable membrane is embedded in the upper part of the housing; And / or, the connection between the breathable membrane and the housing is any one or more of the following combinations: welding, bonding, pressing, or film insert injection molding.

7. The self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-returning waterproof and oil-proof vent valve also includes a ventilating and oil-blocking component, wherein the ventilating and oil-blocking component is disposed at the bottom of the housing and is used to block oil discharged from the lower part of the housing from any one or more of the following oil-blocking functions: oil splashing, static oil pressure erosion.

8. The self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the housing has several openings in the circumferential direction, and the housing below the several openings has a first recess in the radial direction, the first recess being used to embed the breathable membrane. And / or, the outer periphery of the housing is provided with a first mating part, and the inner periphery of the valve cover is provided with a second mating part, wherein the valve cover and the housing are connected by a nested mating connection between the first mating part and the second mating part, and the nested mating connection between the first mating part and the second mating part is used to provide a detour ventilation channel for the breathable membrane; And / or, the housing is provided with mounting threads and / or mounting portions; And / or, the housing located around the opening of the teardrop-shaped oil droplet is provided with an inclined surface, the inclined surface being used to converge the oil towards the teardrop-shaped oil droplet at a set inclined angle.

9. The self-returning waterproof and oil-proof breathable valve according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The several teardrop-shaped oil droplets are arranged circumferentially.

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