Thermostatventil

Abstract

Thermostatic valve with a housing (11) having wall openings (20) with a valve opening (12) and with a thermostatic working element (14) contained in the interior (13), which carries a valve element (15) for controlling the valve opening (12), characterized by that the housing (11) is approximately tubular and has the valve opening (12) at one axial tube end in a coaxial arrangement with the longitudinal central axis (17), that the valve opening (12) has an approximately frustoconical valve seat surface (24) widening in the direction facing away from the housing, that the valve element (15) lifts off the valve seat surface (24) in the direction facing away from the housing (11) to release the valve opening (12), that the housing (11) has a detachably attached cover (30) at the pipe end opposite the valve opening (12), and that the thermostatic valve is designed as an insert element which can be inserted into a receptacle with the valve opening (12) at the front and which can be fixed to this receptacle with the cover (30) which can be placed on it.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a thermostatic valve with a housing having wall openings with a valve opening and with a thermostatic working element contained in the interior, which carries at least one valve element for controlling the valve opening.

[0002] Such a thermostatic valve is known from DE 10 2004 037 488 A1. The known thermostatic valve has a tubular housing that can be inserted into a receptacle of an internal combustion engine to regulate two cooling circuits to different temperatures. For this purpose, a first and a second thermostatic valve are arranged one behind the other in the tubular housing.

[0003] DE 10 2004 002 995 A1 discloses a thermostatic valve arrangement for the cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine which is not designed as a plug-in element and which is designed to be aerodynamic and has a two-part valve housing made of plastic.

[0004] Furthermore, thermostatic valves of the type mentioned above are known in which the housing is in two parts and has an upper and a lower housing section that are connected to one another. A thermostatic working element, e.g. an expansion element, is contained inside this housing. Frequently, the upper housing section, for example in the area of ​​the connection zone between the two housing sections, has a valve opening with a valve seat for a valve element arranged at this point, which is held and supported in the area of ​​an upper closure cap of the housing of the thermostatic working element. Depending on the other features of the thermostatic valve and its design, such a design with a valve opening with valve seat surface and associated valve element arranged in the upper area leads to a large axial installation height.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of creating a thermostatic valve of the type mentioned above which enables a reduced axial height and is also formed from only a few components and is simple and cost-effective.

[0006] This object is achieved in a thermostatic valve of the type mentioned above according to the invention by the features of claim 1. According to this, a thermostatic valve with the features mentioned above is characterized in that the housing is approximately tubular and has the valve opening at one axial tube end, arranged coaxially with the longitudinal center axis, and a detachably attached cover at the opposite tube end. This design, with a valve opening provided at one axial tube end, particularly at the bottom, and a detachably attached cover at the opposite end, results in a compact design with a reduced axial height.This is all the more advantageous when the thermostatic valve is designed as an electrically heatable valve, in which the electrical connection, including the electrical connection cables leading to the heating element located inside the thermostatic working element, is provided on the cover side. Due to this design, if the valve opening with valve seat surface and associated valve disk were arranged in the upper area where the cover connects to the housing, a correspondingly large axial installation height would result. Due to the arrangement of the valve opening at the end of the housing opposite the cover, thus at the lower housing end, the installation height can be easily reduced and a more compact valve can be realized without having to forego an internal electrical heater, particularly in the piston of the thermostatic working element.Another advantage is that the valve is composed of only two components—a tubular housing and a cover—and is therefore particularly simple and cost-effective due to the reduced number of components. The connection between the tubular housing and the cover can be achieved using suitable fasteners, allowing the two components to be connected quickly and easily, without requiring any special expertise, adjustment work, or the like.

[0007] The thermostat valve is advantageously designed as a plug-in element that can be inserted into a receptacle with the valve opening facing forward and secured with a cover that can be placed on top. The thermostat valve can thus be quickly and easily inserted as a ready-to-install plug-in element, for example, into a housing bore with a receptacle and secured to this receptacle in the area of ​​the cover using screws or similar. The thermostat valve is suitable for direct installation in a variety of locations in the coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine.

[0008] An advantageous design of the thermostatic valve provides circumferentially spaced arms extending downwards from the cover, which engage with the facing pipe end. This ensures that the elements to be connected, namely the housing on the one hand and the cover on the other, are centered relative to the longitudinal center axis of the housing during assembly. It can be advantageous if the housing and cover are connected by means of a bayonet lock. Such a bayonet lock enables simple and quick assembly of the housing and cover without the need for special tools or expertise. No additional fastening aids are required.

[0009] In an advantageous embodiment, the elements of the bayonet closure comprise radially projecting projections, e.g. curved webs, and associated radially open grooves, e.g. curved grooves, for receiving the projections. The grooves are open at one end for engagement with the projections and have end stops at a circumferential distance therefrom for stopping the projections. As a result, the housing and the cover can be connected to one another by pure rotational movement until the end stops of the grooves are reached. It can be advantageous if, of the projections and grooves, at least the grooves are curved and the projections are provided on the tube end of the housing and the grooves on the cover, or vice versa. Protruding pins can also be sufficient as projections.

[0010] A further advantageous embodiment provides for locking means between the housing and the cover, which, once the bayonet connection is established, lock in the direction of rotation, thereby securing it. The locking means can have a protruding locking lug on the one hand and a recess for receiving the locking lug on the other. The locking lug can, for example, be designed in a hook-shaped manner. The locking means have the advantage that they ensure that the end position is reached when the bayonet connection is established, and this end position is secured against loosening. The locking means can be designed in such a way that the bayonet connection can be released in the opposite direction while overcoming the locking mechanism.

[0011] It may also be advantageous if the housing has a ring at each axial tube end, and the valve opening is contained in the ring facing away from the cover. These two rings connect the approximately tubular housing to form a single-piece component. It is understood that a housing within the meaning of the invention also exists if, for example, there are only two diametrically opposed, relatively narrow, approximately strip-shaped walls, between which corresponding openings are provided in the circumferential direction.

[0012] It may also be advantageous if the housing, at an axial distance from the valve opening, has a transverse wall with openings therein and with a central guide opening coaxial with the longitudinal center axis of the housing, through which the associated region of the thermostatic working element passes and serves to guide and center the latter. This provides a simple means of securing the thermostatic working element in the lower region of the approximately tubular housing, where the valve opening with valve seat surface and the associated valve element are located, with appropriate centering. The thermostatic working element can carry such a valve element, which is of plate-shaped design, at the end facing the valve opening. This valve element is advantageously held on a cylindrical section of the housing of the thermostatic working element. The holder can be secured by a flanged connection.For this purpose, the end of the thermostatic operating element's housing can, for example, have a radially protruding collar that is flanged to secure the disc-shaped valve element. The seat on the cylindrical section of the thermostatic operating element's housing ensures a secure, permanent fit of the valve element on the operating element.

[0013] In a further advantageous embodiment, the valve opening has an approximately truncated cone-shaped valve seat surface that widens in the direction away from the housing. The valve element lifts off the valve seat surface in the direction away from the housing to release the valve opening. The valve thus opens in the direction away from the cover, i.e., downwards in the insertion direction.

[0014] It can be advantageous if the ring has an outer annular groove at one axial pipe end for accommodating a sealing ring. Furthermore, the cover can have an outer annular groove for accommodating a sealing ring. This allows for simple sealing when inserting the plug-in thermostat, for example, into a bore in a receptacle.

[0015] It can be advantageous if the thermostatic operating element is arranged inside the tubular housing coaxially with the longitudinal center axis and extends at least substantially over the entire length of the tube. This has the advantage that the thermostatic operating element is exposed to the medium to be controlled, e.g., a coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine, over its entire longitudinally extending surface. This results in particularly good responsiveness.

[0016] It can also be advantageous if the thermostatic working element is designed as an expansion element and has, inside its approximately cylindrical housing, an expansion material and a piston immersed in the expansion material, which projects out of the housing with one end and is fastened to the cover in a sealed manner. The piston advantageously contains at least one electrical heating element inside it. Electrical connection lines for the at least one electrical heating element can lead out of the piston and through the cover to a contact plug on the cover. In this design, the thermostatic valve is designed as a preferably electrically heatable plug-in thermostat with a directly injected heating cartridge.

[0017] It may also be advantageous if the housing and / or the cover are made of plastic. For example, a high-strength plastic material could be considered for the housing, while a cost-effective plastic material can be used for the cover.

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. Fig. 1 a schematic vertical section of a thermostatic valve, Fig. 2 a schematic perspective view of a cover of the thermostatic valve in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a schematic perspective view of a tubular housing of the thermostatic valve in Fig. 1.

[0019] The drawings show a thermostatic valve 10 which has a housing 11 with a valve opening 12 and, in the interior 13 of the housing 11, a thermostatic working element 14 which carries at least one valve element 15 for controlling the valve opening 12.

[0020] The housing 11 is approximately tubular with a cylindrical wall 16 and a central longitudinal axis 17. In the area of ​​both axial tube ends, the housing 11 is provided with a ring 18 and 19. The wall 16 has, for example, three large wall openings 20, which extend approximately from one ring 18 to the other ring 19 and are designed as large windows with approximately equal circumferential angular distances from one another. At one axial tube end, located at the top in the drawings with ring 18 there, a cover 30 is detachably attached. At the opposite axial tube end, located at the bottom in the drawings, at ring 19, the valve opening 12 is provided in a coaxial arrangement with the longitudinal axis 17. The thermostatic working element 14 is held on the cover 30 by a piston 22 ( Fig. 2) and projects from there into the interior 13, wherein the thermostatic working element 14 extends at least substantially over the entire tubular length of the housing 11. Typically, the thermostatic working element 14 comprises an expansion material, e.g., wax, within an approximately cylindrical housing 21, as well as a piston 22 immersed in the expansion material, which projects with its upper end from the housing 21 and is attached to the cover 30. A sealing ring 32 is arranged between a receptacle 31 of the cover 30 and the end of the piston 22. The piston 22 contains at least one electrical heating element within its interior. Electrical connecting lines 23 of the at least one electrical heating element lead out of the piston 22 and through the cover 30 to a contact plug 33 of the cover 30. Fig. For simplicity, Figure 2 shows only the entire length of the thermostatic working element 14, its piston 22, before it is immersed in the housing 21 and the expansion material therein. The cover 30 is made of plastic, and in this case, of a cost-effective plastic material, e.g., PA66 GF30.

[0021] The thermostatic valve 10 is characterized by its design as an insert element which can be inserted with the valve opening 12 at the front into a receptacle of a housing or the like (not shown) and which can be fixed with the cover 30 which can be placed on top.

[0022] For example, three circumferentially spaced arms 34 protrude downward from the cover 30 and engage with the facing pipe end at the upper ring 18. The housing 11 and the cover 30 are connected to one another by means of a bayonet lock 35 in the region of the arms 34. The elements of the bayonet lock 35 are, on the one hand, radially projecting projections 36 and, on the other hand, associated radially open grooves 37 for receiving the projections 36. The grooves 37 are open at one end 38 for engagement with the projections 36 and, at a circumferential distance therefrom, have end stops 39 for stopping the projections 36. The radially projecting projections 36 can, as shown, be arcuate and have the shape of arcuate webs. The grooves 37 can also be arcuate and, as shown, be designed as arcuate grooves.In the illustrated embodiment, the projections 36 are provided on the tube end of the housing 11 in the region of the upper ring 18, and the grooves 37 on the cover 30 are provided in the region of the arms 34. In another embodiment not shown, the arrangement may also be reversed.

[0023] Furthermore, locking means 40 are provided between the housing 11 and the cover 30. When the bayonet connection of the bayonet lock 35 is established, they lock the lock in the direction of rotation, securing the lock. These locking means 40 have a projecting locking lug 41 on the one hand and an associated recess 42 for receiving the locking lug 41 on the other. The recess 42 can, as shown, be provided within an arm 34 of the cover 30 at a distance, for example, below a groove 37, and be open to the outside. The associated locking lug 41 can be provided on the housing 11 as an approximately hook-shaped element projecting toward the interior 13 of the housing 11, specifically below a projection 36 on the inside of the wall 16.

[0024] During assembly of the cover 30 and the housing 11, the housing-side projections 36 engage into the grooves 37 from the open end 38 of the cover 30 upon rotation, whereby this rotation is limited by the projections 36 striking the respective end stops 39. At the same time, the locking lug 41 moves over the outer side of the arm 34 with accompanying elastic deformation until the locking lug 41 engages in the recess 42. Due to the wedge shape of the locking lug 41, disengagement in the opposite direction is prevented.

[0025] The valve opening 12 is contained in the lower ring 19 of the housing 11 in the drawings and has an approximately truncated cone-shaped valve seat surface 24 which widens in the direction facing away from the housing 11. The only valve element 15 provided is plate-shaped and is Fig. 1 lower end of the thermostatic working element 14, which faces the valve opening 12. This valve element 15 lifts off the valve seat surface 24 in the direction away from the housing 11 to release the valve opening 12. At an axial distance from the valve opening 12, the housing 11 has a transverse wall 25 at the ring 19 with openings 26 therein and with a central guide opening 27 coaxial with the longitudinal center axis 17 of the housing 11. The guide opening 27 is penetrated by the associated lower region of the thermostatic working element 14 and serves to guide and center the working element 14 in this lower region.

[0026] The plate-shaped valve element 15 contains, at the edge, within an approximately U-shaped ring receptacle 28, a valve ring 29 for engagement with the frustoconical valve seat surface 24. The plate-shaped valve element 15 has a cylindrical collar 43 in the center, with which the valve element 15 is held on an end-side cylindrical section 44 of the housing 21 of the thermostatic working element 14 by means of a flanged connection, which is realized by flanging a radially projecting collar 45 at the end of the housing 21 of the working element 14.

[0027] The lower ring 19 in the drawings at the lower axial tube end has an outer annular groove 46 for receiving a sealing ring 47 therein. The cover 30 has an outer annular groove 48 above the arms 34 for receiving a sealing ring 49 therein. The housing 21 of the thermostatic working element 14 is enclosed by a spring 50, which serves as a return spring for the housing 21. The spring 50 is supported with one end on a support surface 51 of the housing 11 near the valve opening 12 and with the other end on an annular shoulder 52 of the housing 21 of the working element 14. The cover 30 is a one-piece molded plastic part, as is the housing 11. This can be formed from a high-strength plastic material, e.g., PPS.

[0028] To assemble the thermostatic valve 10, the housing 11 with the thermostatic working element 14 therein, including the spring 50 and the valve element 15, can be prepared and kept ready for assembly. On the cover side, the cover 30 with the piston 22 attached to it can be kept ready. For assembly, the piston 22 plunges into the interior and the expansion material located therein in the housing 21 of the working element 14. The housing 21 of the working element can be displaced in the axial direction against the action of the spring 50 as required, at least until the arms 34 of the cover 30 with the grooves 37 extend at the level of the projections 36 and the bayonet connection can be established by relative rotation between the housing 11 and the cover 30 in the area of ​​the bayonet lock 35, up to the activation of the locking means 40. Another assembly method is also possible. In the assembled state according to Fig. 1, the thermostatic working element 14 is fixed in its upper region to the cover 30 via the protruding end of the piston 22, while the lower end region of the working element 14, which passes through the guide opening 27, is centered and held within this guide opening 27. The spring 50, with its spring force acting in the direction of the cover 30, holds the valve element 15 in the illustrated closed position, in which position it is pressed against the valve seat surface 24 by the valve ring 29. Depending on the arrangement of the thermostatic valve 10, e.g., in a coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine, the valve opening 12 is connected to a line leading to a heat exchanger, in particular a radiator, which leads from the heat exchanger to the internal combustion engine.The interior 13 of the housing 11 can be connected via the individual wall openings 20 to a line that leads from the internal combustion engine to the interior 13 and from there back to the internal combustion engine. This line can contain a water pump. Other connections and line connections are also possible. In the described case, when the thermostat valve 10 is closed, the corresponding... Fig. 1 no coolant flows through the valve opening 12 to the heat exchanger, in particular the radiator. Instead, the coolant coming from the internal combustion engine is guided through the wall openings 20 into the interior 13 and out of the interior 13 through the wall openings 20 back to the internal combustion engine. With increasing heating of the coolant, which acts on the entire length of the thermostatic working element 14 in the interior 13, the expansion material in the housing 21 expands with an increase in volume. As a result, due to the piston 22 fixed and supported on the cover 30, the housing 21 of the working element 14 is Fig. 1 is displaced downward against the action of the spring 50, with the associated lifting of the valve element 15 from the valve seat surface 24 and the associated release of the valve opening 12, so that coolant introduced into the interior 13 can now also flow out through the valve opening 12 and, for example, be supplied to a heat exchanger (not shown), in particular a cooler. Even with this opening actuation, with the associated displacement of the housing 21 of the working element 14, the latter is reliably centered and guided coaxially within the housing 11, since the housing 21 is centered in the guide opening 27 and is displaced and remains in a coaxial position relative to it.

[0029] When the coolant, which acts on the working element 14 in the interior 13, cools down, the expansion material in the housing 21 contracts, reducing its volume. Due to the relaxing spring 50, the housing 21 is moved relative to the supported piston 22 in Fig. 1 is moved upwards, whereby the valve element 15 closes the valve opening 12.

[0030] When the term “housing” is used in the above description with regard to the component 11, it is understood that a housing is also present if, for example, only two diametrically opposed and relatively narrow, approximately strip-shaped walls 16 are present, which are connected by the two rings 18 and 19 in Fig. 1 top and bottom are combined to form a housing unit.

[0031] The thermostatic valve 10 is simple and cost-effective. It consists of only a few components and allows for quick and easy assembly. The thermostatic valve 10 is then available as a ready-to-install plug-in element that can be quickly and easily inserted, for example, into a housing bore with a receptacle and secured to the receptacle in the area of ​​the cover 30, for example, using screws. In this form, the thermostatic valve 10 is also well suited for direct mounting, for example, on a heat exchanger, in particular a radiator, in a coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine. Other simple installation positions are also possible.

Claims

[1] Thermostatic valve with a housing (11) having wall openings (20) with a valve opening (12) and with a thermostatic working element (14) contained in the interior (13) which carries a valve element (15) for controlling the valve opening (12), characterized by , that the housing (11) is approximately tubular and has the valve opening (12) at one axial tube end in a coaxial arrangement with the longitudinal central axis (17), that the valve opening (12) has an approximately frustoconical valve seat surface (24) widening in the direction facing away from the housing, that the valve element (15) lifts off the valve seat surface (24) in the direction facing away from the housing (11) to release the valve opening (12), that the housing (11) has a detachably attached cover (30) at the pipe end opposite the valve opening (12), and that the thermostatic valve is designed as an insert element which can be inserted into a receptacle with the valve opening (12) at the front and which can be fixed to this receptacle with the cover (30) which can be placed on it. [2] Thermostatic valve according to claim 1, characterized by that arms (34) project downwards from the cover (30) and are spaced apart in the circumferential direction and engage in the facing pipe end. [3] Thermostatic valve according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the housing (11) and the cover (30) are connected to each other by means of a bayonet lock (35). [4] Thermostatic valve according to claim 3, characterized by that of the projections (36) and grooves (37), at least the grooves (37) are arcuate and the projections (36) are provided at the tube end of the housing (11) and the grooves (37) are provided at the cover (30), or vice versa. [5] Thermostatic valve according to claim 3 or 4, characterized bythat locking means (40) are provided between the housing (11) and the cover (30) which, when the bayonet connection is established, lock in the direction of rotation and secure it. [6] Thermostatic valve according to claim 5, characterized by that the locking means (40) have a projecting locking lug (41) on the one hand and a recess (42) for receiving the locking lug (41) on the other hand. [7] Thermostatic valve according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the housing (11) has a ring (18, 19) at each axial tube end and the valve opening (12) is contained in the ring (19) which faces away from the cover (30). [8] Thermostatic valve according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized bythat the housing (11) has, at an axial distance from the valve opening (12), a transverse wall (25) with openings (26) therein and with a central guide opening (27) coaxial with the longitudinal center axis (17) of the housing (11), through which the associated area of ​​the thermostatic working element (14) passes and serves to guide and center the latter. [9] Thermostatic valve according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the thermostatic working element (14) carries a plate-shaped valve element (15) at the end facing the valve opening (12). [10] Thermostatic valve according to claim 9, characterized by that the plate-shaped valve element (15) is held on a cylindrical portion (44) of the housing (21) of the thermostatic working element (14). [11] Thermostatic valve according to claim 10, characterized bythat at the end of the housing (21) of the thermostatic working element (14) a collar (45) projects radially, which is flanged to fix the plate-shaped valve element (15). [12] Thermostatic valve according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by that the valve opening (12) has an approximately frustoconical valve seat surface (24) which widens in the direction facing away from the housing (11) and the valve element (15) lifts off the valve seat surface (24) in the direction facing away from the housing (11) to release the valve opening (12). [13] Thermostatic valve according to one of claims 7 to 12, characterized by that the ring (19) has an outer annular groove (46) at one axial pipe end for receiving a sealing ring (47) therein. [14] Thermostatic valve according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by that the cover (30) has an outer annular groove (48) for receiving a sealing ring (49) therein. [15] Thermostatic valve according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized by that the thermostatic working element (14) is arranged in the interior (13) of the tubular housing (11) coaxially to the longitudinal central axis (17) and extends at least substantially over the entire tube length. [16] Thermostatic valve according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized by that the thermostatic working element (14) has, in the interior of its approximately cylindrical housing (21), an expansion material and a piston (22) immersed in the expansion material, which piston projects with one end out of the housing (21) and is fastened to the cover (30) in a sealed manner relative to the latter. [17] Thermostatic valve according to claim 16, characterized by that the piston (22) contains at least one electric heating element in its interior. [18] Thermostatic valve according to claim 17, characterized bythat electrical connecting lines (23) of the at least one electrical heating element are led out of the piston (22) and through the cover (30) to a contact plug (33) of the cover (30). [19] Thermostatic valve according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized by that the housing (11) and / or the cover (30) are made of plastic.

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