Fluid device

Abstract

The invention relates to a fluid device (12), in particular a coolant device for a cooling system, especially for a vehicle cooling system of an at least partially electrically powered vehicle (10), comprising at least one fluid distribution element (20) and at least one component interface (51, 53, 61) for connecting at least one component (50, 52, 62), in particular a pump (50, 52) and / or a valve (62), wherein the fluid distribution element (20) comprises at least one fluid handling element (40, 41). It is proposed that the fluid distribution unit (20) comprises at least one check valve (70) integrated into the at least one fluid handling element (40, 42), with at least one closing element (72) and at least one check valve seat (71), wherein the closing element (72) interacts sealingly with the check valve seat (71) when the check valve (70) is closed.

Description

State of the art

[0001] A central connection device for a fluidic coupling of components of a vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle, with at least one distribution unit and a component interface arranged on the distribution unit for a fluidic connection of a component of the vehicle to the distribution unit has already been proposed. Disclosure of the invention

[0002] The invention is based on a fluid device (12), in particular a coolant device for a cooling system, in particular for a vehicle cooling system of an at least partially electrically driven vehicle (10), having at least one fluid distribution element (20) comprising at least one component interface (51, 53, 61) for connecting at least one component (50, 52, 62), in particular a pump (50, 52) and / or a valve (62), wherein the fluid distribution element (20) has at least one fluid handling element (40, 41). It is proposed that the fluid distribution unit (20) has at least one check valve (70) integrated into the at least one fluid handling element (40, 42), said check valve having at least one closing element (72) and at least one check valve seat (71), wherein the closing element (72) cooperates sealingly with the check valve seat (71) when the check valve (70) is in the closed state.

[0003] Check valves with closing means have the advantage that the integration of the valve functionality into the fluid device can be designed particularly cost-effectively. The closing element can be inserted directly into the welded flow channel. At the same time, the inventive design enables the maintenance of the tolerances resulting from the flow channel welding process. Due to the robust design of the closing element, potential weld leakage (thin plastic material that escapes from the weld seam area during the welding process) is particularly advantageously prevented from negatively affecting the tolerance position of the closing element in the flow channel. By advantageously incorporating all tolerance-sensitive functions into the fluid distributor element base of the fluid distributor, tolerance problems when welding the fluid distributor element cover can be particularly advantageously reduced.

[0004] During the welding process (e.g., hot plate welding), the closing element can particularly advantageously withstand accelerations and remain in the correct position. For this purpose, at least a first guide element of the closing element, which can advantageously be designed as a piston-shaped element, is inserted into a second guide element of the flow channel. Furthermore, an assembly positioning element is inserted into a recess in the housing of the fluid distribution element base.

[0005] To prevent rotation of the coolant flow under load (during operation), according to an advantageous development of the invention, the fluid distribution element cover has a projection that can interact with a stop element of the closure element. Since this stop function is not tolerance-dependent, it can be attached to the cover. Drawings

[0006] The invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. They show: Fig. 1 a vehicle according to the invention in a schematic representation, Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a fluid device, Fig. 3a a schematic representation of a section of a fluid handling element with a check valve in the closed position, Fig. 3b a schematic representation of a section of a fluid handling element with a check valve in the open position, Fig. 4 a perspective view of a closing element of a check valve, Fig. 5 a schematic representation of a section of a fluid handling element with a check valve according to another embodiment. Description of the embodiments

[0007] In the different versions, identical parts have the same reference numbers.

[0008] Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle and has an electric motor 16, alternatively a plurality of electric motors, for driving the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 also has a battery unit 14, also called a "battery pack." The battery unit 14 can consist of one or more closed units. The vehicle 10 also has a cooling circuit 11. The cooling circuit 11 has a fluid device 12. The cooling circuit 11 also has a heat exchanger 18, also called a "cooler," which is intended to dissipate heat from the cooling circuit 11 to the ambient air. The cooling circuit 11 has a further heat exchanger 19, which is intended to dissipate heat to a passenger compartment of the vehicle 10 in at least one operating state.

[0009] The cooling circuit 11 is provided for cooling the at least one electric motor 16. The cooling circuit 11 is provided for cooling or heating the battery unit 14. The fluid device 12, also called a "coolant device" or "temperature management unit," is provided for connecting the components of the cooling circuit 11 to one another. The cooling circuit 11 has coolant lines that connect the fluid device 12 to the electric motor 16, the battery unit 14, the heat exchangers 18, 19, and / or other components.

[0010] According to alternative embodiments, the vehicle has, alternatively or in addition to the electric motor, at least one internal combustion engine which is part of the cooling circuit.

[0011] In Fig. 2 shows a fluid device 12. The fluid device 12 has a fluid distribution element 20, also called a "manifold." According to an advantageous development of the invention, the fluid distribution element 20 has a fluid distribution element base 24 and a fluid distribution element cover 26, which together enclose an internal volume of the fluid distribution unit 20. According to an advantageous development of the invention, the fluid distribution unit has a tank 30, which is fluidically connected to the fluid distribution unit. The tank volume is intended to at least store coolant. The tank volume forms an equalization tank of the cooling circuit 11.

[0012] The fluid distribution unit 20 preferably has a plurality of fluid handling elements 40, 42, which can be designed, for example, as fluid lines in the interior of the fluid distribution unit 20 or as flow channels, preferably as substantially rectangular flow channels. The fluid distribution element base 24 is preferably designed as a half-shell extending substantially in the horizontal direction H, with the fluid distribution element cover 26 preferably being arranged on the opening of the fluid distribution element base 24. The fluid distribution element cover 26 is preferably designed as a substantially plate-shaped element extending substantially parallel to the fluid distribution element base 24. According to an advantageous development of the invention, the fluid distribution element cover 26 is welded to the fluid distribution element base 24.

[0013] The fluid handling elements 40, 42 each open into a fluid connection intended to be connected to one of the coolant lines. The fluid handling elements 40, 42 preferably each form the supply and / or return lines for a partial cooling circuit.

[0014] Component interfaces 51, 53, 60 are formed on the fluid distribution element 20, each of which is intended to be connected to a component. In the present case, the components are pumps 50, 52 and valves 62. According to the Fig. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 2, the fluid distribution unit 20 has at least one valve unit 62, which is intended to connect different pump units 50, 52 to different fluid handling elements 40, 42 in different operating states and / or to distribute a coolant flow differently among the fluid handling elements 40, 42. The valve unit 62 has, for example, at least one multi-way valve.

[0015] In the Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b shows a section of the fluid distribution element 20, which has a fluid handling element 40 designed as a flow channel. The fluid handling element 40 has an integrated check valve 70 with at least one closing element 72 and at least one check valve seat 71. When the check valve 70 is closed, the closing element 72 sealingly interacts with the check valve seat 71, thus fluidically sealing the flow channel in one direction.

[0016] In Fig. 3a, the check valve 70 is shown in a closed state. The check valve 70 is installed in the flow channel 40 during assembly of the fluid distribution element 20. For this purpose, the closing element 72 is inserted as an insert into the flow channel 40 integrated in the fluid distribution element base 24. The fluid distribution element cover 26 is then placed on the fluid distribution element base 24 and welded to it. As shown in the Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b, the closing element 72 has at least one sealing body 73 cooperating with the check valve seat 71 and at least one guide coupling section 74, wherein the guide coupling section 74 is preferably arranged on a side of the sealing body 73 facing away from the check valve seat 71.

[0017] According to the Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b, the guide coupling section extends centrally in the area of ​​the fluid handling element 40 essentially in the horizontal direction H. As shown in the Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b, according to an advantageous development of the invention, the flow volume of the flow channel 40 is arranged substantially within the fluid distributor element base 24, wherein the fluid distributor element cover 26 is preferably designed as a substantially plate-shaped element extending substantially parallel to the fluid distributor element base 24. According to the Fig. 3a and Fig. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3b, the fluid distributor element base 26 is designed as a half-shell extending substantially in the horizontal direction.

[0018] The guide coupling section 74 has two first guide elements 80. According to this embodiment, these guide elements 80 are designed as guide rails and each cooperate with a second guide element 82 to guide the closing element 72 during the adjusting movement in the horizontal direction H of the check valve 70. The second guide elements 82 are preferably each designed as a groove guide and limit the degree of freedom of movement of the closing element in a direction orthogonal to the adjusting movement direction. For this purpose, the second guide elements 82 preferably each have two rib elements formed in the inner wall of the fluid distribution element base 24, which extend essentially parallel to one another and each receive a first guide element 82 between them. When the closing element is inserted into the flow channel 40, a first guide element 80 is inserted into a second guide element 82.

[0019] In order to prevent the closing element 72 from shifting from its target mounting position after insertion into the fluid distribution element base 24 and before welding the fluid distribution element cover 26, the guide coupling section 72 has a mounting positioning element 90, in particular a mounting positioning element 90 that positively engages a recess 92 in a housing wall of the fluid handling element 40. According to the Fig. 3a and Fig. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3b, the assembly positioning element 90 is designed as a locking element, in particular a locking lug engaging in the recess. Furthermore, the guide coupling section 72 has, in addition to the first guide elements 80 and the assembly positioning element 90, a stop element 100, which, in the open state of the check valve 70, interacts with a projection 102 of the fluid distribution element cover 26 to reduce the rotation of the closing element 72.

[0020] In Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the locking element 72 from the Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b. According to the Fig. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4, the closing element 4 has circumferentially arranged wing elements arranged substantially equidistant from one another. These wing elements are formed by the first guide elements 80a, 80b, the assembly positioning element 90, and the stop element 100. Since these elements each engage in one of the housing walls of the fluid handling element 40 designed as a flow channel, they each extend the same distance in the radial direction R. According to the Fig. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4, the two guide elements 80a and 80b are arranged opposite one another.

[0021] In Fig.5 shows a further embodiment of the invention, according to which the guide elements 80a, 80b are designed such that they each engage in second guide elements 82a, 82b, which are arranged in a corner region 84a, 84b of the flow channel 40, so that the two first guide elements 80a, 80b essentially enclose an angle α of 90° between them.

Claims

[1] Fluid device (12), in particular a coolant device for a cooling system, in particular for a vehicle cooling system of an at least partially electrically driven vehicle (10), with at least one fluid distribution element (20) having at least one component interface (51, 53, 61) for connecting at least one component (50, 52, 62), in particular a pump (50, 52) and / or a valve (62), wherein the fluid distribution element (20) has at least one fluid handling element (40, 41), characterized by in that the fluid distribution unit (20) has at least one check valve (70) integrated into the at least one fluid handling element (40, 42) with at least one closing element (72) and at least one check valve seat (71), wherein the closing element (72) cooperates sealingly with the check valve seat (71) in the closed state of the check valve (70). [2] Fluid device (12) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the fluid distribution element has a plurality of integrated check valves. [3] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the fluid distributor element has at least one fluid distributor element base carrying the check valve seat and at least one fluid distributor element cover closing the fluid handling element, wherein the closing element of the check valve is designed as an insert in the fluid distributor element base. [4] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the fluid distribution unit has a plurality of fluid handling elements, wherein the fluid handling elements are preferably designed as fluid lines and / or flow channels, preferably substantially rectangular flow channels [5] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the closing element has at least one sealing body cooperating with the check valve seat and at least one guide coupling section, wherein the guide coupling section is preferably arranged on a side of the sealing body facing away from the check valve seat. [6] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the flow volume of the flow channel is arranged substantially within the fluid distributor element base, wherein preferably the fluid distributor element cover is designed as a substantially plate-shaped element extending substantially parallel to the fluid distributor element base, wherein preferably the fluid distributor element base is designed as a half-shell extending substantially in the horizontal direction. [7] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the guide coupling section of the closing element is arranged centrally in the flow channel and preferably extends substantially in the horizontal direction, wherein the guide coupling section preferably has at least one first guide element which cooperates with at least one second guide element of the fluid handling element for guiding the closing element during the actuating movement of the check valve. [8] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first guide element is designed as a spring rail and the second guide element as a groove element, wherein the closing element preferably has at least two first guide elements, which each interact with at least one second guide element of the fluid handling element. [9] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the two first guide elements are arranged diametrically opposite each other. [10] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the second guide elements are each arranged in opposite corner regions of the fluid handling element, wherein the two first guide elements are preferably arranged at an angle of substantially 90° to one another. [11] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the guide coupling section has an assembly positioning element, in particular an assembly positioning element which engages positively in a recess in a housing wall of the fluid handling element for positioning the closing element during the welding of the fluid distribution element cover, wherein preferably the assembly positioning element has a locking element, in particular a locking lug which engages in the recess. [12] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the guide coupling section has a stop element which, in the open state of the check valve, cooperates with a projection of the fluid distributor element cover to reduce the rotation of the closing element. [13] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sealing body and the guide coupling element are formed in one piece, in particular as an injection-molded part, in particular as a two-component injection-molded part, wherein preferably the sealing body is formed from a softer material than the guide coupling element. [14] Fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sealing body has a coating, preferably a rubber coating, particularly preferably a rubber coating applied as a liquid coating spray. [15] Distribution unit for a fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims. [16] Closing element for a fluid device (12) according to one of the preceding claims. [17] A method for producing a distributor unit for a fluid device (12) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: - Providing a fluid distribution element base comprising at least one fluid handling element with a check valve seat - Inserting the closing body into the fluid handling element, wherein the at least one first guide element of the guide coupling element of the closing element engages into the at least one second guide element of the fluid handling element and wherein preferably an assembly positioning element of the guide coupling section of the closing element engages into a recess in a housing wall of the fluid handling element, - Positioning the fluid distribution element cover on the fluid distribution element base, - Welding the fluid distribution element cover to the fluid distribution element base.

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