Vent valve device

Abstract

A ventilation valve arrangement for ventilating an interior of an automotive electronic component enclosed by a housing, comprising: an inlet opening to the surroundings; an outlet portion leading to an internal space of the automotive electronic component; a membrane element designed to be permeable to air but impermeable to moisture; a diffuser tube assembly comprising: a diffuser tube carrier designed to be configured as a flat element provided with a groove, the groove forming a diffuser tube comprising a diffuser tube inlet and a diffuser tube outlet and a flow channel extending therebetween; there is no moisture adsorption element within the vent valve arrangement, and within the vent valve arrangement, gas flows through a membrane element and a diffusion tube assembly between an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The vent valve device achieves a balance of high air throughput and low moisture permeability without using a moisture adsorption element by using a diffusion tube of a flattened structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automotive electronic components. Specifically, this utility model relates to a ventilation valve device for ventilating automotive electronic components. Background Technology

[0002] Electronic components typically consist of a sealed housing. Electronic devices are housed within this housing. When these devices operate, they generate heat, causing the pressure inside the sealed housing to rise. Excessive pressure can lead to the failure of the housing's seals. Therefore, electronic components need to be able to quickly achieve pressure balance between the internal environment and the external environment. One way to achieve this pressure balance is to create an opening in the electronic component's housing, connecting the internal environment to the external environment.

[0003] However, the openings also allow foreign objects such as water and dust from the external environment to enter the enclosed interior space, potentially affecting electronic components. Therefore, ventilation valves are typically installed at the openings of the housing to achieve waterproofing, dustproofing, and air permeability.

[0004] One known balancing assembly of this type includes a valve body with a diaphragm at one end and a fixed valve. This valve opens only when the gas pressure inside the sealed space it balances is greater than or equal to a set opening pressure, allowing gas in the sealed space to be quickly released through the open valve, thus achieving pressure relief. The valve then closes again after pressure equilibrium is reached. Therefore, this assembly does not support real-time gas flow between the sealed space and the external environment, and thus cannot achieve real-time pressure balance between the sealed space and the external environment.

[0005] In recent years, with the increasing computing power of electronic components, the heat generated during operation has also increased, leading to increasingly higher internal temperatures. This increased temperature difference between the internal environment and the external environment can cause condensation problems, such as when a car is parked in a damp basement in summer or when it operates continuously in a high-humidity environment. Therefore, it is desirable to achieve low moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) for the housings of electronic components with openings. This can be achieved by incorporating moisture-absorbing elements, such as desiccants, within the ventilation valve device, or by adding additional active devices to achieve low MVTR, such as extra ventilation fans, in addition to the ventilation valve device used for pressure equalization.

[0006] There is a desire in the art to propose a new ventilation valve device that can achieve a high airflow rate to meet the need for rapid pressure balance between the internal and external environments of automotive electronic components, while ensuring a low water vapor permeability. Utility Model Content

[0007] This utility model was developed in view of the above-mentioned technical problems, and its purpose is to provide a ventilation valve device for ventilating the internal space of automotive electronic components enclosed by a housing, comprising:

[0008] An entrance section that leads to the surrounding environment;

[0009] An outlet section leading to the interior space of the automotive electronic component;

[0010] A membrane element, wherein the membrane element is designed to be permeable to air but impermeable to moisture;

[0011] A diffuser assembly includes: a diffuser carrier, the diffuser carrier being designed as a flat element, the flat element having grooves forming a diffuser, the diffuser including a diffuser inlet and a diffuser outlet, and a flow channel extending between the diffuser inlet and the diffuser outlet.

[0012] In the ventilation valve device, no moisture adsorption element is provided, and in the ventilation valve device, gas flows between the inlet and the outlet through the membrane element and the diffuser assembly.

[0013] The ventilation valve device of this utility model, by employing a diffuser assembly, can ensure a high airflow rate, thereby achieving rapid fluid communication between the interior of the automotive electronic component housing and the external environment, meeting the need for rapid pressure balance. At the same time, the diffuser also suppresses the diffusion of water vapor in the diffuser assembly, thereby suppressing the diffusion of water vapor in the ventilation valve device, thus minimizing the water vapor permeability.

[0014] The ventilation valve device according to this invention does not require the moisture adsorption element mentioned at the beginning of this document. This avoids the moisture adsorption element occupying a large space within the ventilation valve device, thus preventing the ventilation valve device from becoming larger. Furthermore, it eliminates the high maintenance costs associated with replacing saturated moisture adsorption elements within the ventilation valve device. If saturated moisture adsorption elements within the ventilation valve device are not replaced periodically, they will, in turn, release the adsorbed moisture into the housing of the electronic components, thereby adversely affecting the working environment of the electronic components.

[0015] The ventilation valve device of this invention is primarily applicable to automotive electronic components whose housings are not made of plastic, including but not limited to: lidar, camera systems, millimeter-wave radar, ECUs, inverters, etc., but excluding, for example, headlights enclosed by plastic housings. This is because, for automotive electronic components with plastic housings, the ventilation valve device allowing access to the housing is not the only pathway for water vapor to enter the enclosed internal space; water vapor can also enter the enclosed internal space through the pores in the plastic material itself. Therefore, the ventilation valve device of this invention is primarily applicable to automotive electronic components enclosed by housings made of non-plastic materials, such as metal.

[0016] In the context of this application, "flat" means that the dimensions of the length, width, and / or the plane defined by the length and width of the element or component are significantly greater than the thickness of the element or component. Here, designing a diffuser carrier as a flat element helps reduce the volume of the diffuser assembly, and consequently, can reduce the volume of the ventilation valve device when necessary.

[0017] In a non-limiting embodiment of this invention, in the diffuser assembly of the ventilation valve device, the inner diameters of the diffuser inlet and outlet are larger than the width of the flow channel. Here, the diffuser inlet and outlet are designed to be approximately circular, and their inner diameters being larger than the width of the flow channel allows for better suppression of water vapor diffusion while maintaining a high airflow rate.

[0018] In a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, in the diffuser assembly of the ventilation valve device, the diffuser includes only one diffuser inlet and one diffuser outlet.

[0019] Here, the single-inlet-single-outlet design of the diffuser simplifies its construction. Due to the size of the automotive electronic component housing, the overall size of the ventilation valve device according to this invention is also relatively small, limiting the size of the diffuser carrier it can accommodate. The aforementioned single-inlet-single-outlet diffuser design facilitates the fabrication of the diffuser channel on flat components, and compared to single-inlet-multiple-outlet or multi-inlet-single-outlet channel designs, its diffusion flux is more uniform and stable.

[0020] In a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, in the diffuser assembly of the ventilation valve device, the flow channel of the diffuser is designed to include at least one bend or at least one kink.

[0021] In the context of this article, unless otherwise stated, "curved section" refers to an object, specifically, the direction or course of the flow channel where the transition is in the form of an arc or curve, without a clear angled turn. "Bend section," on the other hand, refers to an object, specifically, the direction or course of the flow channel where the transition is in the form of a broken line, with a clear angle or bend.

[0022] Here, in the limited space of a flat element, especially in a planar area, the construction of a flow channel with at least one bend or twist allows the diffuser to change direction. This allows for efficient use of the limited area through the change of direction and extends the length of the diffuser's flow channel, thereby improving the diffuser's performance, giving it better airflow, and controlling and slowing down the diffusion rate of water vapor.

[0023] Preferably, in the diffuser assembly of the ventilation valve device, the flow channel of the diffuser is designed in a spiral shape.

[0024] Here, the spiral design of the flow channel, whether from the inside out or from the outside in, can maximize the length of the flow channel within the limited area of ​​the diffuser carrier, which is particularly advantageous for diffuser carriers designed to be approximately circular.

[0025] Preferably, the inventors of this invention have discovered that in the diffuser assembly of the ventilation valve device according to this invention, the length of the diffuser channel is in the range of 0 to 40 mm, which is advantageous for maintaining a high airflow rate of the ventilation valve device while minimizing water vapor permeability.

[0026] Here, the length of the diffuser channel is essentially the length of the fluid that flows along the diffuser assembly channel from the diffuser inlet to the diffuser outlet.

[0027] Preferably, the inventors of this invention have also discovered that in the diffuser assembly of the ventilation valve device according to this invention, the cross-sectional area of ​​the diffuser channel ranges from 0 to 1.5 mm. 2 This is also advantageous for maintaining a high airflow rate in the ventilation valve device while minimizing water vapor transmission.

[0028] Here, the cross-sectional area of ​​the diffuser is defined by the width and depth of the diffuser channel. The width is the distance between the two side surfaces of the channel. The depth is the vertical distance between the upper surface of the channel, i.e., the open surface of the diffuser carrier's channel above it, and the bottom of the channel. When the channel is formed by a groove penetrating the diffuser carrier, the depth of the channel is equal to the thickness of the diffuser carrier.

[0029] Preferably, the inventors of this invention have also discovered that in the diffuser assembly of the ventilation valve device according to this invention, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the diffuser channel to the length of the channel is in the range of 0 to 0.2 mm, which is advantageous for maintaining a high airflow rate in the ventilation valve device while minimizing water vapor permeability. The inventors of this invention have also discovered that, given a fixed length of the diffuser channel, the airflow rate is linearly related to the cross-sectional area of ​​the channel. Furthermore, the inventors of this invention have found that both the length and shape of the diffuser have a certain influence on the airflow rate.

[0030] Furthermore, in a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the diffusion tube assembly further includes a first diffusion tube cover and a second diffusion tube cover, wherein the first diffusion tube cover and the second diffusion tube cover are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the diffusion tube carrier, and the first diffusion tube cover is disposed between the membrane element and the diffusion tube carrier.

[0031] The first diffuser cover has a first opening, and the second diffuser cover has a second opening. The first opening is aligned with the diffuser inlet, and the second opening is aligned with the diffuser outlet.

[0032] The diffuser cover provides support for the diffuser carrier and protects the diffuser carrier, particularly the flow path of the diffuser it carries. Furthermore, by providing diffuser covers on both sides of the diffuser, with the openings on the respective covers aligned with the diffuser inlet and outlet, the fluid flowing through the diffuser assembly can be guided. This is particularly advantageous when the ventilation valve device requires a large permeability to achieve pressure balance as quickly as possible.

[0033] When the diffuser assembly is equipped with diffuser covers, the grooves in the flat element can be provided in the form of through grooves. Here, the diffuser covers on both sides of the flat element will form the top and bottom of the flow channel, thereby maximizing the depth of the diffuser flow channel, which is beneficial to ensure the largest possible airflow rate while ensuring the smallest possible water vapor permeability.

[0034] Optionally, the ventilation valve device according to the present invention includes a ventilation valve cover and a ventilation valve body, the ventilation valve cover being attached to the ventilation valve body and forming a receiving space therebetween, the membrane element and the diffuser assembly being received in the receiving space.

[0035] Here, the membrane element and diffuser assembly are housed in the receiving space formed by the ventilation valve cover and the ventilation valve body, and other elements or components can be further installed in the ventilation valve device if needed.

[0036] In a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the ventilation valve body of the ventilation valve device according to the present invention is designed and constructed to be joined to the housing of the automotive electronic component by means of a snap-fit ​​connection or a threaded connection.

[0037] Here, the ventilation valve device is detachably connected to the housing of the automotive electronic component to which the ventilation valve device is used via threads or openings provided on the ventilation valve body. Its installation and removal operations are convenient and facilitate the maintenance of the ventilation valve device.

[0038] Optionally, the ventilation valve body is designed to have a protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction, the outlet of the ventilation valve device is located at the protrusion, the protrusion extends into the housing of the automotive electronic component, and an external thread is provided at the protrusion.

[0039] In another non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the ventilation valve device according to the present invention is adhered to the housing of the automotive electronic component by an adhesive disposed on one side of the diffuser carrier or an adhesive disposed on one side of the second diffuser cover.

[0040] The ventilation valve assembly achieves "adhesive-backed" bonding by applying an adhesive to the side of the component that directly faces the housing of the applicable automotive electronic component, thereby reducing the thickness and / or height of the ventilation valve assembly and eliminating the need for additional fasteners. This allows for a flattened construction of the ventilation valve assembly, making installation easier and expanding its application range.

[0041] Here, when the diffuser assembly of the ventilation valve device does not have a diffuser cover, the side of the ventilation valve device that directly faces the housing of the applicable automotive electronic component refers to the side of the diffuser carrier facing the housing of the automotive electronic component, that is, the side opposite to the membrane element. When the diffuser assembly of the ventilation valve device is provided with a diffuser cover, the side of the ventilation valve device that directly faces the housing of the applicable automotive electronic component refers to the side of the diffuser cover facing the housing of the automotive electronic component, that is, the side away from the diffuser carrier.

[0042] Preferably, the diffuser carrier of the ventilation valve device according to this utility model is made of double-sided adhesive tape.

[0043] Here, the flow channel of the diffuser is directly obtained by grooving and cutting on double-sided tape, and the diffuser carrier, i.e., the double-sided tape, can be directly adhered to the electronic component housing to which the ventilation valve device is applicable, without the need to apply additional adhesive to the diffuser carrier. This makes the processing of the diffuser assembly, the assembly of the ventilation valve device, and its installation into the housing of the automotive electronic component more convenient and simple.

[0044] Optionally, the ventilation valve device according to the present invention further includes a filter element disposed between the diffuser carrier and the outlet of the ventilation valve device.

[0045] Here, the filter element is designed to prevent contaminants from the internal space enclosed by the housing of automotive electronic components from entering the diffuser assembly, especially the diffuser channel, or even blocking the diffuser channel. The latter would adversely affect the diffusion effect and thus affect the operation of the ventilation valve device.

[0046] Here, when the diffuser assembly includes the first and second diffuser covers described above, the filter element is disposed between the side of the second diffuser cover facing away from the diffuser carrier and the outlet of the ventilation valve device; while when the diffuser assembly does not include the diffuser cover, the filter element is disposed between the side of the diffuser carrier facing away from the membrane element and the outlet of the ventilation valve device.

[0047] Optionally, the ventilation valve device according to this invention further includes an adsorption element for perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and / or a sulfide adsorption element. Lubricating grease is used in some automotive electronic components. After the automotive electronic components operate at high speeds, the grease is heated and evaporates, releasing perfluoropolyether and / or sulfides. The adsorption element in the ventilation valve device can adsorb the perfluoropolyether and / or sulfides evaporated by the heated grease after the automotive electronic components have been in operation, reducing their impact on the operation of the automotive electronic components.

[0048] The ventilation valve device proposed in this invention achieves a balance between high airflow rate and low water vapor permeability by combining a diffuser assembly with a membrane element, eliminating the need for a moisture adsorption element. Furthermore, by employing a flat diffuser structure, the diffusion of water vapor can be controlled by adjusting the cross-sectional area and length of the diffuser.

[0049] Additional features and advantages described herein will be set forth in the detailed description below, and will be recognized by those skilled in the art as will be apparent from the following description or as a result of practice of the embodiments described herein, including the detailed description below, the claims, and the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0050] With reference to the above objectives, the technical features of this utility model are clearly described in the following claims, and its advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the utility model by way of example, without limiting the scope of the inventive concept.

[0051] Figure 1 A perspective view of a diffuser carrier in a ventilation valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0052] Figure 2 A perspective view of a ventilation valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0053] Figure 3 Show Figure 2 The diagram shows a longitudinal sectional perspective view of the ventilation valve device.

[0054] Figure 4 Show Figure 2 An exploded perspective view of the ventilation valve device shown.

[0055] Figure 5 Show Figure 2 An exploded perspective view of the diffuser assembly in the ventilation valve device shown.

[0056] Figure 6 Show Figure 2 The first variant of the ventilation valve device shown;

[0057] Figure 7 Show Figure 2 The second variant of the ventilation valve device shown;

[0058] Figure 8 A perspective view of a ventilation valve device according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0059] Figure 9 Show Figure 7 An exploded perspective view of the ventilation valve device shown.

[0060] Figure 10 Show Figure 7 The direction of fluid flow in the ventilation valve device shown;

[0061] Figure 11 A perspective view of a ventilation valve device according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0062] Figure 12 Show Figure 10 An exploded perspective view of the ventilation valve device shown.

[0063] Figure 13 Show Figure 10 The direction of fluid flow in the ventilation valve device shown.

[0064] List of reference numerals

[0065] 10, 10' diffuser assembly

[0066] 11. Diffusion tube carrier

[0067] 12 First diffuser opening

[0068] 13 Second diffuser opening

[0069] 14 flow channels

[0070] 15 First diffuser tube cover

[0071] 151 First Opening

[0072] 16 Second diffuser cover

[0073] 161 Second opening

[0074] 20 Ventilation valve cover

[0075] 21 gap

[0076] 30 Ventilation valve body

[0077] 31 First column section

[0078] 311 Circumferential convex part

[0079] 32, 32', 32” Second column section

[0080] 321 Fluid Channel

[0081] 3211 Fluid channel opening

[0082] 322 Buckle section

[0083] 323 External Thread

[0084] 40 membrane elements

[0085] 50 filter elements

[0086] 60 rubber ring

[0087] 100, 100', 100”, 100”', 100”” ventilation valve device

[0088] C1, C2, C3 bends

[0089] W is the width of the flow channel of the diffuser tube. Detailed Implementation

[0090] Although the present invention will be described with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that this specification is not intended to limit the present invention to these exemplary embodiments. Rather, the present invention is intended to cover not only these exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0091] For ease of interpretation and precise definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “inner,” and “outer” are used to describe features with reference to their positions in the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures. Unless otherwise stated, the dimensions and relative relationships of parts or elements shown in the views are illustrative only and not limiting.

[0092] Ventilation valve devices are used to ventilate the enclosed internal space of automotive electronic components, including:

[0093] An entrance leading to the surrounding environment;

[0094] An exit portion leading to the interior space of the automotive electronic components;

[0095] The design is a membrane element that is permeable to air but not to moisture;

[0096] A diffuser assembly includes: a diffuser carrier designed as a flat element, the flat element having grooves forming a diffuser, the diffuser including a diffuser inlet and a diffuser outlet and a flow channel extending between the diffuser inlet and the diffuser outlet; the diffuser assembly may also optionally include a first diffuser cover and a second diffuser cover, which are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the diffuser carrier, wherein the first diffuser cover is disposed between a membrane element and the diffuser carrier and has a first opening, while the second diffuser cover has a second opening, the first opening being aligned with the diffuser inlet and the second opening being aligned with the diffuser outlet, to guide airflow.

[0097] Within the ventilation valve device, gas flows between the inlet and outlet of the ventilation valve device through the membrane element and the diffuser assembly. When the gas flows through the diffuser of the diffuser assembly, the air flow rate and the water vapor flow rate will be different, thereby enabling the ventilation valve device to ensure a high air flow rate while keeping the water vapor permeability as low as possible.

[0098] By setting the length, cross-sectional area, and ratio of cross-sectional area to length of the diffuser in the ventilation valve device, the diffusion efficiency of water vapor flowing along the diffuser can be better controlled, thereby achieving a balance between high air flow rate and low water vapor permeability.

[0099] The flow channel length of the diffuser in the ventilation valve device for automotive electronic components is set to range from 0 to 40 mm. The cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel, defined by the flow channel depth and the flow channel width, ranges from 0 to 1.5 mm². 2 The ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel to its length is between 0 and 0.2 mm.

[0100] When designing and constructing the flow channels on a diffuser carrier, factors such as the length of the flow channel, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel, and the ratio of the cross-sectional area to the length of the flow channel are taken into consideration.

[0101] Because the planar area or volume of ventilation valve devices used in automotive electronic components is limited, the area of ​​the diffuser carrier available for the flow channel of the diffuser in the ventilation valve device is also limited. Therefore, the range of variation in the length of the diffuser flow channel is not significant within permissible limits. Furthermore, although changing the shape of the diffuser, i.e., the direction of the diffuser, can have some impact on the gas flow rate through the diffuser, the impact of changes in the shape of the diffuser and the length of the diffuser flow channel on the gas flow rate through the ventilation valve is not as significant as the impact of changing the cross-sectional area of ​​the diffuser.

[0102] Given a flow channel length, it has been proven that the airflow velocity, which is expected to be maintained as high as possible, is linearly related to the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel. Therefore, in the actual manufacturing and selection of ventilation valve devices, based on the airflow required for the automotive electronic component to achieve rapid internal and external pressure balance, the cross-sectional area of ​​the diffuser flow channel that meets the requirements is selected. Then, based on the water vapor transmission rate and the relationship between cross-sectional area and length mentioned above, the required length of the diffuser flow channel can be calculated. This determines the design and structure of the flow channel in the diffuser carrier, which can then be processed to obtain the required diffuser carrier, and finally assembled into a ventilation valve device.

[0103] Membrane elements may include waterproof and breathable membranes made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE), which achieve good breathability while ensuring waterproofness.

[0104] In the ventilation valve device, the combined use of diffuser tube assembly and membrane element achieves a significant reduction in water vapor permeability without affecting the waterproof and breathable performance of the ventilation valve device itself. This ensures the amount of air permeability required to quickly achieve pressure balance between the internal and external environments enclosed by the automotive electronic component housing.

[0105] In the aforementioned ventilation valve device, since no moisture adsorption element is used, the water vapor transmission rate is reduced through the use of a diffuser assembly, particularly the design of the diffuser's flow channel. Therefore, the ventilation valve device no longer requires periodic maintenance to replace saturated moisture adsorption elements, such as desiccant, reducing the operating and maintenance costs. It also avoids the risk of a saturated moisture adsorption element releasing adsorbed moisture into its surrounding environment, potentially affecting the electronic components within the housing. Thus, this ventilation valve device is suitable for ventilating automotive electronic components, especially those with housings made of non-plastic materials.

[0106] The ventilation valve device may also include a filter. The filter is positioned between the diffuser carrier and the outlet of the ventilation valve device to prevent foreign objects from automotive electronic components from entering the diffuser assembly and subsequently the diffuser carrier, thus blocking the diffuser's flow channels. This would affect the diffusion of air and water vapor within the diffuser, ultimately impacting the efficiency of the ventilation valve device.

[0107] The ventilation valve assembly may also include a perfluoropolyether adsorption element and / or a sulfide adsorption element. This perfluoropolyether adsorption element and / or sulfide adsorption element is disposed inside the ventilation valve assembly, for example, between a membrane element and a diffuser assembly, to adsorb perfluoropolyethers and / or sulfides that evaporate from lubricating grease inside automotive electronic components due to heat dissipated by the operation of the automotive electronic components. This perfluoropolyether adsorption element and / or sulfide adsorption element can be provided in the form of carbon beads or carbon ribbons.

[0108] Figure 1 The figure shows a diffuser carrier 11 in a diffuser assembly of a ventilation valve device. As can be seen in the figure, the diffuser carrier 11 is generally circular and has a first diffuser opening 12 and a second diffuser opening 13. A flow channel 14 extends between the two diffuser openings 12 and 13 and is implemented as a groove recessed from the surface of the diffuser carrier 11. The flow channel 14 can be a blind groove or a through groove extending through the diffuser carrier 11.

[0109] Depending on the flow direction of the gas passing through it when applied to the diffuser assembly, the two diffuser openings 12 and 13 serve as the diffuser inlet and outlet, respectively. It should be noted that the gas flow direction primarily depends on the pressure difference between the internal space enclosed by the automotive electronic component's housing and the external environment of the automotive electronic component.

[0110] For example Figure 1 As can be seen, the inner diameters of the first diffuser opening 12 and the second diffuser opening 13 on the diffuser carrier 11 are both larger than the width of the flow channel 14 extending between them. The flow channel 14 does not extend in a straight line, but includes three bends C1, C2, and C3. The flow channel 14 turns at the bends C1, C2, and C3, thereby maximizing the length of the flow channel 14 within the limited area of ​​the diffuser carrier 11, thus increasing the length that air and water vapor flowing along the diffuser need to travel.

[0111] It should be noted that, in Figure 1 The shape of the flow channel 14 in the diffuser carrier 11 shown in the other figures is only schematic. In other embodiments, the flow channel 14 may be designed and constructed in other shapes, such as a straight direction, or a direction with one or more bends or curves, such as a spiral shape that expands outward or contracts inward around the center of the diffuser carrier 11.

[0112] The length of the diffuser channel 14 is typically designed to be between 0 and 40 mm. The cross-sectional area of ​​the diffuser channel 14 is typically designed to be between 0 and 1.5 mm. 2 The cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel 14 is determined by the width W of the flow channel 14 and the depth of the groove forming the flow channel 14. When the flow channel 14 is formed by a through groove, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel 14 is determined by its width W and the thickness of the diffuser carrier. The ratio of the cross-sectional area to the length of the diffuser flow channel 14 is typically designed to be between 0 and 0.2 mm. The width W of the diffuser flow channel 14 is also typically chosen to make the diffuser narrow. This is advantageous for achieving the highest possible airflow rate and the lowest possible water vapor transmission rate in a ventilator device that includes a diffuser assembly with a diffuser carrier 11.

[0113] The diffuser carrier 11 can be made of various water-blocking materials such as plastic and metal. Alternatively, the diffuser carrier 11 can be a layer of double-sided adhesive tape, with narrow cuts created in the tape using die-cutting technology to form flow channels 14. This double-sided adhesive tape diffuser carrier 11 can directly contact the housing of the automotive electronic component to which the vent valve device, including the diffuser carrier, is applied, and be attached to its vent without any other fixing methods.

[0114] The following is combined Figures 2 to 12 The ventilation valve device, generally designated by reference numeral 100, is further described below. In different embodiments, the same components will use the same reference numerals, while components that differ between different embodiments will be distinguished by adding an apostrophe (') after the reference numerals.

[0115] [Example 1]

[0116] Figure 2 The diagram shows the external shape of the ventilation valve device 100. The ventilation valve device 100 has a housing including a ventilation valve cover 20 and a ventilation valve body 30. The ventilation valve cover 20 is attached to the ventilation valve body 30 to form a receiving space therebetween for accommodating components of the ventilation valve device 100, such as the membrane element and diffuser assembly, as shown below. Figures 3 to 5 Further details.

[0117] After the ventilation valve cover 20 is attached to the ventilation valve body 30, a plurality of gaps 21 are left between the ventilation valve cover 20 and the circumferential surface of the ventilation valve body 30, which are located above the membrane element 40 in the axial direction (or height direction) of the ventilation valve device 100. Depending on the flow direction of the fluid flowing through the ventilation valve device 100, these gaps 21 constitute the inlet or outlet of the ventilation valve device 100 for gas entry or exit. Figure 4As can be seen, these gaps 21 are formed by the recess between the circumferential bosses 311 provided circumferentially at the upper end of the first column portion 31 of the ventilation valve body 30 and the ventilation valve cover 20.

[0118] The ventilation valve body 30 has a first column portion 31 with a larger diameter and a shorter length, and a second column portion 32 with a smaller diameter and a longer length. The second column portion 32 protrudes from the first column portion 31 in the axial direction.

[0119] Figure 3 A longitudinal sectional view of the ventilation valve device 100 is shown. As shown, a membrane element 40, a diffuser assembly 10, and a filter element 50 are sequentially arranged below the ventilation valve cover 20, and are housed in a hollow space within the first columnar portion 31 of the ventilation valve body 30. A fluid channel 321 for gas flow is formed in the second columnar portion 32 of the ventilation valve body 30. The fluid channel 321 has a fluid channel opening 3211 leading to the outside. The ventilation valve device 100 extends into the internal space enclosed by the housing (not shown) of the automotive electronic component to which it is used, through the second columnar portion 32 of the ventilation valve body 30, and this internal space is thus connected to the interior of the ventilation valve device 100 through the fluid channel opening 3211. Depending on the direction of gas flow between the ventilation valve device 100 and the automotive electronic component, the fluid channel opening 3211 constitutes either an inlet or an outlet of the ventilation valve device 100.

[0120] In the ventilation valve device 100, the inlet and outlet are respectively located at the second column portion 32 of the ventilation valve cover 20 and the ventilation valve body 30. This allows gas flowing into the ventilation valve device 100 to pass through the membrane element 40, the diffuser assembly 10, and the filter element 50 between the inlet and outlet, thereby flowing from the external environment of the ventilation valve device 100 into the space enclosed by the housing of the automotive electronic components, or conversely, from the space enclosed by the housing of the automotive electronic components to the external environment of the ventilation valve device 100. The filter element 50 is located at the opening of the fluid channel 321 in the second column portion 32, which leads into the first column portion 31.

[0121] Figure 4 An exploded perspective view of a portion of the ventilation valve device 100 is shown, depicting, from top to bottom, the ventilation valve cover 20, membrane element 40, diffuser assembly 10, filter element 50, and ventilation valve body 30. In the figure, the ventilation valve cover 20, membrane element 40, diffuser assembly 10, and filter element 50 are designed to be approximately circular or cylindrical, with the diameter of the cross-sectional area decreasing sequentially. However, in embodiments not shown, the relative dimensional relationships of these components can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0122] Figure 5The exploded perspective view of the diffuser assembly 10 is further shown in the figure.

[0123] like Figure 5 As can be seen, the diffuser assembly 10 also includes a first diffuser cover 15 and a second diffuser cover 16 disposed on both sides of the diffuser carrier 11. The first diffuser cover 15 has a through-hole 151. The second diffuser cover 16 has a through-hole 161. The first diffuser cover 15 and the second diffuser cover 16 can be attached to both sides of the diffuser carrier 11, for example, by means of an adhesive, such that the first opening 151 of the first diffuser cover 15 aligns with the first diffuser opening 12 and the second opening 161 of the second diffuser cover 16 aligns with the second diffuser opening 13. In the assembled state, the first opening 151 of the first diffuser cover 15 and the second opening 161 of the second diffuser cover 16 are offset from each other, and the flow channel 14 sandwiched between the first diffuser cover 15 and the second diffuser cover 16 is closed.

[0124] The first diffuser cover 15 is disposed between the membrane element 40 and the diffuser carrier 11, and can be configured as a single-sided adhesive. The second diffuser cover 16 is disposed between the other side of the diffuser carrier 11 and the inner surface of the ventilation valve body 30, and can be configured as a double-sided adhesive.

[0125] [Example 2]

[0126] Figure 6 The ventilation valve device 100' is shown, which is compared with the reference. Figures 2 to 5 The difference in the ventilation valve device 100 shown lies in the design and construction of the ventilation valve body 30' of the ventilation valve device 100'. As shown in the figure, the second column portion 32' of the ventilation valve body 30' also has a latching portion 322 at its end. The ventilation valve device 100' can be directly and detachably engaged with the ventilation opening in the housing of the automotive electronic component by means of the latching portion 322, without the need for additional attachment means.

[0127] [Example 3]

[0128] Figure 7 The ventilation valve device 100 is shown, which is compared with the reference. Figures 2 to 5 The difference in the ventilation valve device 100 shown lies in the design and construction of the ventilation valve body 30". The second column portion 32" of the ventilation valve body 30" is designed with external threads 323 on its outer surface. Thus, the ventilation valve device 100" can be engaged with the ventilation opening at the housing of the automotive electronic component by means of a threaded connection without the need for additional attachment means.

[0129] [Example 4]

[0130] Figures 8 to 10 A ventilation valve device 100”' is shown. The difference from Embodiments 1 to 3 is that the ventilation valve device 100”' includes a membrane element 40 and a diffuser assembly 10’, while the diffuser assembly 10’ only includes a diffuser carrier 11, so that the ventilation valve device 100”' forms a two-layer structure.

[0131] When the required air permeability of automotive electronic components is small, a ventilation valve device 100”' with only a two-layer structure of membrane element 40 and diffuser carrier 11 can meet the requirements.

[0132] The diffuser carrier 11 is, for example, a die-cut double-sided tape, and the flow channel 14 is formed by die-cutting. A membrane element 40 is adhered to one side of the diffuser carrier 11, which is constructed of double-sided tape, while the other side of the diffuser carrier 11 is directly adhered to the vent of the housing of the automotive electronic component.

[0133] When the diffuser carrier 11 is made of non-double-sided tape, it is adhered to the housing of the automotive electronic component by applying adhesive to the side facing away from the membrane element 40.

[0134] Figure 10 The diagram illustrates the flow path of gas in the ventilation valve device 100”' along the flow channel 14 of the diffuser carrier 11 between the inlet and outlet. The double-headed arrows in the figure indicate two flow directions: from the automotive electronic component housing to the external environment or from the external environment to the automotive electronic component housing.

[0135] In embodiment 4, the inlet and outlet of the ventilation valve device 100”' are respectively composed of an air-permeable but moisture-impermeable membrane of the membrane element 40 and a diffuser outlet in the diffuser carrier 11, depending on the direction of gas flow through the ventilation valve device 100”'.

[0136] [Example 5]

[0137] Figures 11 to 13 A ventilation valve assembly 100” is shown. The ventilation valve assembly 100”” is attached to the housing of the automotive electronic component by means of an adhesive applied to the back, just like the ventilation valve assembly 100”'. However, the ventilation valve assembly 100”” is designed with a six-layer structure, which is particularly advantageous when the automotive electronic component requires a large air permeability to achieve rapid internal and external pressure balance.

[0138] Similar to Embodiments 1 to 3, the diffuser assembly 10 of the ventilation valve device 100 also includes a first diffuser cover 15 and a second diffuser cover 16 disposed on both sides of the diffuser carrier 11. The first opening 151 of the first diffuser cover 15 is aligned with the first diffuser opening 12 at the diffuser carrier 11, while the second opening 161 of the second diffuser cover 16 is aligned with the second diffuser opening 13 at the diffuser carrier 11.

[0139] In this embodiment, the first diffuser cover 15 is coated with adhesive or implemented as single-sided tape on one side facing the diffuser carrier 11 to secure it to the diffuser carrier 11 and close the flow channel 14 from one side. The second diffuser cover 16 is disposed on the other side of the diffuser carrier 11 and is coated with adhesive or implemented as double-sided tape on both sides for securing the second diffuser cover 16 to the diffuser carrier 11 to close the flow channel 14 from the other side, and also for securing the entire ventilation valve device 100”” to the automotive electronic component housing.

[0140] The six-layer ventilation valve device 100 is also provided with a rubber ring 60 for firmly attaching the membrane element 40 to the diffuser assembly 10.

[0141] On the other side of the ventilation valve device 100”, similar to embodiments 1 to 3, a filter element 50 is provided to prevent foreign objects from entering the diffuser assembly 10, especially the flow channel 14 of the diffuser, and affecting the flow of gas in the flow channel 14. The filter element 50 is designed and constructed as a filter screen.

[0142] The diffuser carrier 11 is, for example, a die-cut double-sided tape, and the flow channel 14 is formed by die-cutting.

[0143] It should be noted that the ventilation valve device may also exclude the rubber ring 60 that serves to secure and support the membrane element 40 and the filter element 50 that serves to filter. The membrane element 40 may be secured to the diffuser assembly 10 by other means known in the art.

[0144] Figure 12 The diagram schematically illustrates the gas flow path within the ventilation valve assembly 100". The double arrows in the diagram indicate the gas flow direction determined by the pressure difference between the internal space enclosed by the automotive electronic component housing and the external environment.

Claims

1. A ventilation valve device for ventilating the internal space of automotive electronic components enclosed by a housing. Its features are, The ventilation valve device includes: An entrance section that leads to the surrounding environment; An outlet section leading to the interior space of the automotive electronic component; Membrane element (40), the membrane element being designed to be permeable to air but not to moisture; The diffuser assembly includes: A diffuser carrier (11) is designed as a flat element with grooves forming a diffuser tube. The diffuser tube includes a diffuser tube inlet and a diffuser tube outlet, as well as a flow channel (14) extending between the diffuser tube inlet and the diffuser tube outlet. Specifically, the ventilation valve device does not contain a moisture adsorption element, and Within the ventilation valve device, gas flows between the inlet and the outlet through the membrane element (40) and the diffuser assembly.

2. The ventilation valve device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The internal diameters of the diffuser inlet and the diffuser outlet are greater than the width of the flow channel.

3. The ventilation valve device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The diffuser tube includes a diffuser tube inlet and a diffuser tube outlet.

4. The ventilation valve device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The flow channel (14) of the diffuser is designed to include at least one bend or at least one fold.

5. The ventilation valve device as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The flow channel of the diffuser is designed in a spiral shape.

6. The ventilation valve device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The length of the flow channel ranges from 0 to 40 mm.

7. The ventilation valve device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel ranges from 0 to 1.5 mm. 2 between.

8. The ventilation valve device as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel to the length of the flow channel is between 0 and 0.2 mm.

9. The ventilation valve device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The diffuser assembly further includes a first diffuser cover (15) and a second diffuser cover (16). The first diffusion tube cover and the second diffusion tube cover are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the diffusion tube carrier, wherein the first diffusion tube cover is disposed between the membrane element (40) and the diffusion tube carrier (11), and The first diffuser cover has a first opening (151), the second diffuser cover has a second opening (161), the first opening (151) is aligned with the diffuser inlet, and the second opening (161) is aligned with the diffuser outlet.

10. The ventilation valve device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The ventilation valve device includes a ventilation valve cover (20) and a ventilation valve body, the ventilation valve cover (20) being attached to the ventilation valve body and forming a receiving space therebetween, in which the membrane element (40) and the diffuser assembly are received.

11. The ventilation valve device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The main body of the ventilation valve is designed to be attached to the housing of the automotive electronic component by means of a snap-fit ​​connection or a threaded connection.

12. The ventilation valve device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The ventilation valve device is adhered to the housing of the automotive electronic component by an adhesive provided on one side of the diffuser carrier (11) or an adhesive provided on one side of the second diffuser cover (16).

13. The ventilation valve device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, The diffusion tube carrier (11) is made of double-sided adhesive tape.

14. The ventilation valve device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The ventilation valve device also includes a filter element (50), which is disposed between the diffuser carrier (11) and the outlet of the ventilation valve device.

15. The ventilation valve device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The ventilation valve device is equipped with a perfluoropolyether adsorption element and / or a sulfide adsorption element.

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