Seal and valve device for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle with such a seal

Abstract

According to the invention, a ball valve device for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle is provided. This device comprises a housing assembly with at least one fluid connection, a closure body, wherein the closure body has an axis of rotation about which the closure body can be rotated in a direction of rotation to open and close the fluid connection, and wherein the fluid connection has a seal for sealing contact with the closure body. The present invention is characterized in that the seal has a sealing lip with at least one longitudinal section in which the sealing lip forms a longitudinal sealing lip, and at least one transverse section in which the sealing lip forms a transverse sealing lip. The longitudinal section extends approximately parallel to the direction of rotation, hereinafter referred to as the longitudinal direction, and wherein the longitudinal section of the sealing lip has a cross-section with a first geometry.The transverse section extends approximately orthogonally to the direction of rotation, hereinafter referred to as the transverse direction, and wherein the transverse section of the sealing lip has a cross-section with a second geometry that differs from the first geometry.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a seal and a valve device for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, in particular a ball valve device, with such a seal.

[0002] A ball valve is a valve in which the sealing effect is created by a movable ball. In its typical application as a check valve, the ball prevents the backflow of fluid through the valve.

[0003] Ball valves can be used as actively controlled or regulated valves. In this case, a spherical shut-off element is actively actuated or rotated by an actuator. The shut-off element of a ball valve performs a rotating movement to open or close one or more flow cross-sections.

[0004] The ball is typically 1.4 to 1.5 times the average valve seat diameter. The valve seat is designed as an inclined surface rather than a spherical shell, resulting in only line-to-line contact between the ball and the seat. This limitation to a single line prevents the ball from adhering to the valve seat and also explains the ball valve's insensitivity to particulate inclusions in the flowing fluid: the inclusions are displaced from the sealing line by the ball as it approaches the valve seat. Due to the unavoidable rotation of the ball during mass flow through the valve, a different part of the ball is always in contact with the seat. In combination with a suitable selection of ball and valve seat materials, wear can be limited to the ball. The ball surface thus wears uniformly without impairing the valve's function.

[0005] In operation, ball valves never seal completely, but when used in particulate-containing contaminants in the flowing substances, they are never completely leaky.

[0006] DE 10 2018 117 240 A1 describes a coolant valve for a vehicle, comprising a housing with several coolant connections and a valve element adjustable in the housing for connecting or disconnecting coolant connections, as well as at least one sealing arrangement arranged in the area of ​​at least one coolant connection, which seals against the housing on one side and against the valve element on the other, wherein the sealing arrangement has a support element made of a first material and a sealing element made of a second material, wherein the second material is softer than the first material, wherein the sealing element has a first sealing lip in contact with the valve element and the support element has a support section, wherein the first sealing lip projects with a free end over the support section, and wherein the first sealing lip is pressed against the support section when coolant flows through the coolant valve.

[0007] These types of coolant valves are used in the cooling systems of vehicles such as cars and trucks. They serve, for example, to cool an internal combustion engine. Depending on the position of the valve element, coolant is diverted around a radiator via a bypass line during the engine's warm-up phase and then directed through the radiator once operating temperature is reached. Depending on the application, coolant valves can also allow coolant to flow through the valve only temporarily, for example, when the coolant flow is completely interrupted during the cold start phase of an internal combustion engine. The valve element can be controlled automatically, for example, by expansion elements. However, electric actuators controlled by a control unit are also possible for adjusting the valve element.

[0008] For sealing the coolant connections against the valve element, for example, ring-shaped sealing arrangements are provided, which on the one hand seal against the housing, in particular the housing section limiting the coolant connection, and on the other hand seal against the valve element.

[0009] A coolant valve with such a sealing arrangement is known, for example, from EP 2 052 177 B1. The thermostatic valve described therein has a spherical valve element, the sealing arrangement comprising a sliding ring made of a low-friction solid plastic, which is preloaded against the valve element by an elastomeric sealing ring. The sliding ring can be made, for example, of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and the elastomeric sealing ring of EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber). A reliable seal can be achieved at all times with the known thermostatic valve. However, the known sealing arrangement is associated with considerable costs.

[0010] German patent application DE 10 2016 116 550 A1 describes a rotary slide valve for a motor vehicle cooling circuit with a compact sealing element. The sealing element is designed as a sealing ring curved in a manner complementary to the outer contour of the control body, comprising a first sealing leg and a second sealing leg.

[0011] The patent application DE 10 2016 220 876 A1 also discloses a valve device for a motor vehicle cooling circuit, wherein a sealing insert has a first component and a second component and wherein only the first component is in contact with the valve element and only the second component is in contact with the fluid channel.

[0012] In DE 10 2007 008 553 A1 a rotary valve with a rotatably mounted valve element and a base element resting against the valve element with a seal interposed.

[0013] One problem with known sealing arrangements for coolant valves is that there is a conflict of objectives between reliably fitting the sealing arrangement to the valve element and thus ensuring a secure seal even at low system pressure on the one hand, and high load-bearing capacity and low deflection at high pressure with low frictional torques and thus low drive torques for the valve element on the other.

[0014] Based on the prior art described above, the invention aims to provide a valve device for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, in particular a coolant valve of the type mentioned above, which resolves the conflict of objectives described above as effectively as possible while being manufactured cost-effectively.

[0015] Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a seal and a ball valve device with such a seal that provides an alternative to known seals and valve devices.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a seal and a ball valve device with an improved sealing effect.

[0017] Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a seal and a ball valve device that are safe and reliable in operation.

[0018] One or more of these problems are solved by the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent dependent claims.

[0019] According to the invention, a ball valve device for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle is provided. This comprises a housing assembly with at least one fluid connection, a closure body, wherein the closure body has an axis of rotation about which the closure body can be rotated in a direction of rotation to open and close the fluid connection, and wherein the fluid connection has a seal for sealing contact with the closure body.

[0020] The present invention is characterized in that the seal has at least one sealing lip with at least one longitudinal section in which the sealing lip forms a longitudinal sealing lip, and at least one transverse section in which the sealing lip forms a transverse sealing lip.

[0021] The longitudinal section extends approximately parallel to the direction of rotation, hereinafter referred to as the longitudinal direction, and wherein the longitudinal section of the sealing lip has a cross-section with a first geometry.

[0022] The transverse section or orthogonal section extends approximately orthogonally to the direction of rotation, hereinafter referred to as the transverse direction, and wherein the transverse section of the sealing lip has a cross-section with a second geometry that differs from the first geometry.

[0023] Because the seal according to the invention has a longitudinal section and a transverse section with different geometries, the seal is structurally designed in such a way that, when the sealing body is moved or rotated around the axis of rotation in the direction of rotation, it is reliably prevented that the longitudinal sealing lip and the transverse sealing lip fold over and thus lead to a reduced sealing effect or even a leak.

[0024] By providing different geometries for the longitudinal sealing lip and the transverse sealing lip, an improved seal is provided, especially for ball valve devices.

[0025] The geometry or structural design of the sealing lip thus depends on the geometry of the closure body and the direction of rotation or structural design of the closure body. Accordingly, the geometry of the seal according to the invention is designed to reduce wear. This also has a positive effect on the service life of the valve device for a motor vehicle's coolant circuit, in particular the seal, which is thereby increased.

[0026] In addition, the geometry of the seal is adapted accordingly, so that a low torque is required to move the sealing body.

[0027] Such a seal exhibits an optimal balance between friction, sealing performance, and durability.

[0028] Furthermore, the ball valve device according to the invention provides an alternative to valve devices known from the prior art for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle.

[0029] The sealing lip can each have two opposing longitudinal and transverse sections, with a transition section provided in the area between a longitudinal and a transverse section, in which a geometry of the sealing lip transitions from the first geometry to the second geometry.

[0030] Accordingly, a seal according to the invention preferably has two longitudinal and two transverse sections as well as four transition sections arranged between them.

[0031] The longitudinal sealing lip extends approximately orthogonally to the flow direction of the fluid connection and in the direction of the fluid connection.

[0032] This means that the longitudinal sealing lip is arranged approximately orthogonally to a central plane of a closure body.

[0033] This ensures that the longitudinal sealing lip rests securely and reliably on a surface of the closure body, while generating only low frictional resistance.

[0034] In particular, it prevents the longitudinal sealing lips from being folded over when the closure body is moved in the direction of rotation.

[0035] The transverse sealing lip can extend approximately parallel to a surface of the closure body and in the direction of the fluid connection. Accordingly, the transverse sealing lip is arranged more in the direction of a through-opening of the fluid connection and, in particular, approximately parallel to a surface of the closure body.

[0036] In this way, when the closure body moves in the direction of rotation, it is prevented that a front area of ​​the transverse sealing lip is folded over.

[0037] In the context of the present invention, a flow direction is understood to be a direction that extends parallel to a tubular fluid connection of the valve device.

[0038] The ball valve device according to the invention for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle can be a coolant valve intended for a vehicle such as a car or truck. The coolant valve can be arranged in a cooling circuit of a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, or a hybrid vehicle. It can, for example, be used to cool an internal combustion engine or the batteries of an electric vehicle. The coolant valve can be a thermostatic valve. An electric actuator, controlled by a vehicle control unit, can be provided to adjust the valve element. However, it is also possible to provide a temperature-dependent control element, such as a thermal expansion element, which changes its length depending on the temperature and thereby adjusts the valve element or the closing element. The housing or...The housing of the coolant valve has two or more coolant or fluid connections, which can be connected, for example, to coolant lines in a vehicle's cooling circuit. By adjusting the valve element, two coolant connections can be connected or disconnected. If the housing has three coolant connections, for example, adjusting the valve element allows coolant supplied via one of the coolant connections to be directed to either the first or the second of the other two coolant connections. The two other coolant connections can, for example, be connected to a radiator on one side and to a bypass line to bypass the radiator on the other.It is also possible that during operation of the coolant valve, no coolant flows through the cooling circuit and thus through the coolant valve at certain times, for example, during a cold start phase of an internal combustion engine. A coolant fluid, such as coolant water, is particularly suitable as the coolant. In a manner known per se, at least one seal is provided, which seals against the valve element on one side and against the housing, in particular a housing section that defines a coolant connection, on the other. In particular, a corresponding sealing arrangement can be provided at each of the coolant connections, so that the number of sealing arrangements can correspond to the number of coolant connections of the housing.

[0039] In addition, a bearing device may be provided by which the closure body is rotatably mounted in the direction of rotation about the axis of rotation.

[0040] The closure body can be approximately spherical or spherical segment-shaped.

[0041] The sealing lip can have a stiffening structure, at least in sections.

[0042] Such a stiffening structure also prevents the sealing lip from folding over.

[0043] The seal can have an approximately tubular mounting section and an approximately annular sealing section, wherein the tubular mounting section is connected to a tubular section of the fluid connection and wherein a radially circumferential sealing device can be provided for sealing contact with the fluid connection.

[0044] Accordingly, the tubular mounting section can be used to connect the seal safely, reliably and easily to the fluid connection.

[0045] A radially circumferential sealing device can be used to seal the fluid connection and / or the sealing device against corresponding sections of the housing assembly.

[0046] Furthermore, the seal can have an approximately tubular flange section, which is formed from a first plastic component (hard component) or from a harder material than the seal (soft component) and which is connected to the assembly section of the seal, preferably by means of a 2-component injection molding process.

[0047] Such a tubular flange section can be used as an assembly aid and / or to stiffen the seal.

[0048] A suitable gasket with a tubular flange section can be easily manufactured using a two-component injection molding process.

[0049] The surface of the closure body can have at least one release recess in the direction of rotation for releasing the fluid connection, with the sealing lip extending in the direction of the release recess of the closure body.

[0050] A seal as described above can constitute an independent inventive concept within the scope of the present invention. Such a seal can also be used for other types of fluid connections and / or valves to be sealed.

[0051] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the figures. These show: Fig. 1 A schematic side-section view of a seal and fluid connection according to the invention of a valve device according to the invention for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, Fig. 2 a perspective view of the seal according to the invention, Fig. 3 a further schematic side-sectioned representation of the seal and fluid connection of the valve device according to the invention, Fig. 4 another perspective view of the seal according to the invention, Fig. 5 a side-section schematic representation of the seal with closure body according to the invention, Fig. 6 a side-section schematic representation of the seal with closure body according to the invention, Fig. 7 a diagram showing the relationship between a displacement or movement of the sealing lip in conjunction with a corresponding angular position, Fig. 8 a perspective view of an embodiment of the seal, and Fig. 9 a schematic side-section representation of a valve device that can be used with a seal according to the invention.

[0052] The ball valve device 1 according to the invention for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle is described in more detail below with reference to a first embodiment ( Fig. 1 to 9).

[0053] The valve device 1 for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle is designed as a ball valve device and comprises a housing device 2 with at least one fluid connection 3.

[0054] Furthermore, a spherical segment-shaped closure body 4 is provided, wherein the closure body 4 has a rotation axis 5 about which the closure body 4 can be rotated in a direction of rotation 6 to release and close the fluid connection 3.

[0055] In addition, a bearing device 7 is provided, by means of which the closure body 4 is rotatably mounted in the direction of rotation 6 about the axis of rotation 5.

[0056] Furthermore, the closure body 4 can have a release recess 11.

[0057] In particular, a seal 8 according to the invention is provided for sealing contact with the closure body 4.

[0058] The seal 8 comprises an annular sealing section 9 in which a sealing lip 10 is provided.

[0059] The sealing lip 10 comprises two diametrically opposed longitudinal sections 12 and two opposing transverse sections 13.

[0060] In the area of ​​the longitudinal sections 12, the sealing lip 10 forms a longitudinal sealing lip 14.

[0061] In the area of ​​the two transverse sections 13, the sealing lip 10 forms a transverse sealing lip 15.

[0062] Transition sections 16 are formed in the area between the longitudinal sealing lips 14 and the transverse sealing lips 15.

[0063] The longitudinal section 12 extends approximately parallel to the direction of rotation 6. This direction is referred to below as longitudinal direction 17.

[0064] The longitudinal section 12 of the sealing lip or the longitudinal sealing lip 14 has a cross-section with a first geometry.

[0065] The transverse section 13 extends approximately orthogonally to the direction of rotation 6, hereinafter referred to as transverse direction 18.

[0066] The transverse section 13 of the sealing lip 10 or the transverse sealing lip 15 has a cross-section of a second geometry that differs from the first geometry.

[0067] A tubular mounting section 19 adjoins the annular sealing section 9. The seal 8 is connected to a tubular section 20 or a nozzle of the fluid connection 3 via this tubular mounting section 19.

[0068] On an outer shell wall of the tubular assembly section 19, one and preferably two radially circumferential sealing devices 22 can be provided for sealing contact with the fluid connection 3.

[0069] The sealing lip has a stiffening structure 23 at least in some sections.

[0070] The seal 8 can have an approximately tubular flange section (not shown) made of a harder material than the seal itself. This flange section can preferably be connected to the mounting section of the seal by means of a two-component injection molding process.

[0071] When operating a valve device according to the invention, or when the closure body 4 is rotated about the axis of rotation 5 in the direction of rotation 6, the seal in the transverse section is arranged approximately parallel to a surface of the closure body 4. This ensures that the transverse sealing lip does not fold over when the closure body 4 moves and slides with relatively low friction on a surface of the closure body 4. This also reliably prevents the sealing lip from folding in or over.

[0072] In the longitudinal section, the longitudinal sealing lip 14 is aligned approximately orthogonally to a flow direction 21 of the fluid connection. In this way, the longitudinal sealing lip 14 generates a relatively low frictional resistance and also prevents it from folding over.

[0073] According to an alternative embodiment, the seal can also comprise two sealing lips, wherein one or both sealing lips can be designed according to the invention. Reference symbol list 1 ball valve assembly 2 Housing setup 3 Fluid connection 4 locking bodies 5 axis of rotation 6 Direction of rotation 7 Storage facility 8 Seal 9 Sealing section 10 Sealing lip 11 Release exemption 12 Longitudinal section 13 Cross section 14 Longitudinal sealing lip 15 Cross sealing lip 16 Transition section 17 Longitudinal direction 18 Transverse direction 19 Assembly section 20 Tubular section 21 Flow direction 22 Sealing device 23 Stiffening structure

Claims

[1] A ball valve device (1) for a coolant circuit of a motor vehicle, comprising, a housing device (2) with at least one fluid connection (3), a closure body (4), wherein the closure body (4) has an axis of rotation (5) about which the closure body (4) can be rotated in a direction of rotation (6) to release and close the fluid port (3), and wherein the fluid port (3) a seal (8) for sealing contact with the closure body (4), characterized by , that the seal (8) has at least one sealing lip (10) with at least one longitudinal section (12) in which the sealing lip (10) forms a longitudinal sealing lip (14) and at least one transverse section (13) in which the sealing lip (10) forms a transverse sealing lip (15), wherein the longitudinal section (12) extends approximately parallel to the direction of rotation (6), hereinafter referred to as the longitudinal direction (17), and wherein the longitudinal section (12) of the longitudinal sealing lip (14) has a cross-section with a first geometry, and wherein the transverse section (13) extends approximately orthogonally to the direction of rotation (6), hereinafter referred to as the transverse direction (18), and wherein the transverse section (13) of the transverse sealing lip (15) has a cross-section with a second geometry that differs from the first geometry. [2] Valve device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the sealing lip (10) has two opposing longitudinal and transverse sections (12, 13), wherein a transition section (16) is provided in the area between a longitudinal and a transverse section (12, 13) in which a geometry of the sealing lip (10) transitions from the first geometry to the second geometry. [3] Valve device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the longitudinal sealing lip (14) extends approximately orthogonally to a flow direction (21) of the fluid connection (3) and in the direction of the fluid connection (3). [4] Valve device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the transverse sealing lip (15) extends approximately parallel to a surface of the closure body (4) and in the direction of the fluid connection (3). [5] Valve device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that a bearing device (7) is provided, by means of which the closure body (4) is rotatably mounted in the direction of rotation (6) about the axis of rotation (5). [6] Valve device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that the closure body (4) is approximately spherical or spherical segment-shaped. [7] Valve device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by, that the sealing lip (10) has at least a section of a stiffening structure (23) . [8] Valve device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by , that the seal (8) has an approximately tubular mounting section (19) and an approximately annular sealing section (9), wherein the tubular mounting section (19) is connected to a tubular section (20) of the fluid connection (3) and wherein a radially circumferential sealing device (22) is provided for sealing contact with the fluid connection (3). [9] Valve device (1) according to claim 8, characterized by , that the seal (8) has an approximately tubular flange section which is made of a harder material than the seal (8) and which is connected to the assembly section (19) of the seal (8), preferably by means of a 2-component injection molding process. [10] Valve device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by, that in a closure body surface in the direction of rotation (6) at least one release recess (11) is formed for releasing the fluid connection (3), wherein the sealing lip (10) extends in the direction of the release recess (11) of the closure body (4).

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