Thermocouple that responds more quickly to the temperature of the cooling fluid

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermocouple (1) comprising a cup (10) having a threaded or grooved configuration on its inner surface (10.1) and outer surface (10.2), and which is designed to enable faster detection of the temperature of the cooling fluid entering or leaving an internal combustion engine and thereby prevent the engine from operating at temperatures above a threshold value.

Description

[0001] A THERMOELEMENT THAT RESPONDS MORE QUICKLY TO THE TEMPERATURE OF THE COOLANT FLUID

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to a thermoelement comprising a cup with a thread or grooved configuration on its inner surface and outer surface, designed to enable faster detection of the temperature of the coolant fluid entering or exiting an internal combustion engine, thereby preventing the engine from operating at temperatures higher than a threshold value.

[0004] Prior Art

[0005] There are several factors involved in achieving maximum efficiency from internal combustion engines in vehicles. Each internal combustion engine has an optimized ideal operating temperature at which it can operate efficiently and have a longer lifespan. Maintaining the engine temperature at the ideal operating temperature is crucial among these factors. Internal combustion engines perform most efficiently at the designated ideal operating temperatures. To consistently maintain this ideal operating temperature, the engine operating at temperatures above a threshold value needs to be cooled. Cooling systems play a vital role in the cooling of the engine.

[0006] In motor cooling systems, there are several key components, such as the radiator, water pump, coolant temperature switch / sensor, drive belt, fan, and thermostat. The radiator not only serves as a reservoir for the coolant but also lowers the temperature of the coolant fluid through circulation within the radiator. The water pump is responsible for pumping the coolant from the radiator through the cooling channels in the engine. The fan creates airflow between the radiator fins, assisting in reducing the temperature of the coolant. The drive belt transfers motion from the crankshaft pulley to the water pump. The coolant temperature switch / sensor is dependent on the temperature and pressure measurements, and when the measured values reach the determined values, it closes its open contact or opens its closed contact.

[0007] Another important component of the cooling system is the thermostat, which bypasses the radiator by using a valve to prevent coolant flow when the engine is below the ideal operating temperature. This allows the engine to reach the desired operating temperature. On the other hand, when the engine temperature exceeds this ideal operating temperature, the thermostat allows the coolant to flow through the radiator by closing the valve inside the thermostat, thereby activating the radiator. As a result, the coolant fluid, which has an increased temperature upon exiting the engine, begins to be cooled in the radiator.

[0008] In order to facilitate the faster opening of the valve that allows the coolant fluid to pass through the radiator, different piston designs can be utilized. One of these designs is the cartridge-resistor piston. In the cartridge-resistor piston structure, a cartridge resistor is configured within the normal piston. The ECU (Electronic Control Unit), which receives real-time temperature data from sensors at the engine outlet, provides instructions as needed for energizing the cartridge resistor. The cartridge resistor is connected to two energy cables, and their energization rapidly heats the piston submerged in a wax mixture, causing the wax mixture to expand. The expanding wax mixture pushes the piston, opening the valve and allowing the coolant to flow. The energization of the cables is based on instructions from the ECU, which rapidly heats the cartridge resistor. This cooling process, facilitated by temperature sensors and the resistor-equipped piston in contact with the wax mixture, is referred to as map-controlled cooling.

[0009] In conventional cooling systems, the coolant fluid exiting the engine, which has increased in temperature, continues to operate above the ideal operating temperature of the engine until it reaches the thermostat. This situation poses an undesirable condition for the health and efficiency of the engine. Additionally, when the coolant fluid reaches the thermostat, it affects the thermoelement within the thermostat, which requires a certain amount of time for the expansion of the wax mixture within the thermoelement to push the piston and open the valve to allow coolant passage. The external and internal surface designs of the thermoelement's cup element are configured with a "U" geometry and flat surfaces. The flat design on the inner and outer surfaces of the cup, which has a thick structure (cup thickness) to ensure durability, delays the interaction of the coolant temperature with the wax mixture for a longer period than desired. In the present invention, the surface areas are increased by implementing a thread or grooved design on the inner and outer surfaces. As a result, the wax mixture heats up more quickly. Thus, the faster expansion of the wax within the thermoelement pushes the piston and opens the valve. This prevents the engine from operating at temperatures above the threshold value for an extended period of time until the valve is fully opened.

[0010] It relates to a thermostat device disclosed in patent document JP2012102621 , which allows dulling the thermosensitivity of the thermoelement to the coolant fluid and better controlling the opening and closing of a main valve at a selected timing through an electric heater. The patent document discloses a thermostat device mounted on a coolant fluid system of an engine, which includes an expanding and contracting wax (thermal expansion body) that detects temperature changes in the circulating coolant water. The thermostat device opens and closes the valve body based on the volume changes accompanying the expansion and contraction of the wax, thereby maintaining the coolant fluid at a predetermined temperature. The document mentions an electrode connected electrically to a heating part formed in an extended element outside the casing. However, the document does not discuss the thread / grooved forms created in the cup structure of the thermoelement to ensure a faster response, as mentioned in the present invention.

[0011] Object and Summary of the Invention

[0012] The object of the invention is to enable the thermoelement to detect the coolant temperature entering or exiting the internal combustion engine more quickly, thereby preventing the engine from reaching a temperature higher than the threshold value and regulating it.

[0013] Another object of the invention is to increase the surface area of the thermoelement by configuring the thread / grooved geometry on the inner and outer surfaces of the cup structure of the thermoelement.

[0014] Another object of the invention is to enhance the thermoelement's ability to detect the coolant temperature more quickly, even if a mechanical piston is used within the thermoelement, and to accelerate the heat transfer from the coolant fluid to the wax by increasing the surface area of the thermoelement.

[0015] Another purpose of the invention is to enable the piston to act directly on the wax element connected to the piston by using an elastomer gasket with different geometry in the case of a map control system connected to the ECU in the event of a sudden temperature increase due to the use of a cartridge resistance connected to the piston in the thermoelement. Instead of using an elastomer with a structure that prevents contact with the wax, there is a geometry that allows the transfer of heat to the wax without creating an obstacle.

[0016] The present invention is a thermoelement responsible for controlling a thermostat valve that directs the coolant flow from an engine to a radiator, comprising at least one cup having at least one inner surface and outer surface, wherein the at least one of the inner surface and outer surface of the cup is configured with a thread / grooved structure, in order to enable faster detection of the coolant temperature by increasing its surface area without compromising the durability of the cup structure.

[0017] Brief Description of the Figures

[0018] Figure 1 shows a sectional view of a mechanical piston thermoelement with thread / grooved configuration on the inner surface of the cup structure. Figure 2 shows a sectional view of a cartridge resistor piston thermoelement with thread / grooved configuration on the inner surface of the cup structure.

[0019] Figure 3 shows a sectional view of a mechanical piston thermoelement with thread / grooved configuration on the outer surface of the cup structure.

[0020] Figure 4 shows a sectional view of a cartridge resistor piston thermoelement with thread / grooved configuration on the outer surface of the cup structure.

[0021] Figure 5 shows a sectional view of a mechanical piston thermoelement with thread / grooved configuration on both the inner and outer surfaces of the cup structure.

[0022] Figure 6 shows a sectional view of a cartridge resistor piston thermoelement with thread grooved configuration on both the inner and outer surfaces of the cup structure.

[0023] Figure 7 shows graphical data on the response times of the thermoelement configurations depicted in Figure 1 and Figure 6.

[0024] Figure 8 shows a sectional view of a conventional cup structure with a mechanical piston thermoelement.

[0025] Reference Numbers

[0026] 1 Thermoelement

[0027] 10 Cup

[0028] 10.1 Inner surface

[0029] 10.2 Outer surface

[0030] 20 Mechanical piston

[0031] 21 Cartridge resistor piston

[0032] 30 Head

[0033] 40 Gasket

[0034] 50 Wax

[0035] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0036] The invention relates to a thermoelement (1 ) comprising a cup (10) with a configured threador grooved inner surface (10.1 ) and outer surface (10.2), aiming to enable faster detection of the coolant temperature entering or exiting the internal combustion engine, preventing the engine from operating at temperatures higher than the threshold value. The thermoelement (1 ) of the invention comprises a cup (10), mechanical piston (20), cartridge resistor piston (21 ), head (30), gasket (40), and wax (50) structures.

[0037] The cup (10) in the present invention comprises an inner surface (10.1 ) and an outer surface (10.2). The piston structure used includes two different types: a mechanical piston (20) and a cartridge resistor piston (21 ), preferably configured as cylindrical rod shapes. A head (30) structure is attached to the upper part of the cup (10). A gasket (40) element is positioned between the cup (10) and the head (30). The cup (10) is filled with a mixture of wax (50).

[0038] The cup (10) in the present invention has at least one thread or grooved surface on its inner surface (10.1 ) and / or outer surface (10.2), which is configured in various geometries such as sawtooth, square, or wave-like patterns. By configuring the thread or grooved inner surface (10.1 ) and outer surface (10.2), the surface area of the cup (10) is increased without compromising its thick and durable metal structure, allowing the thermoelement (1 ) to detect and respond to heat more quickly by facilitating faster heat detection by the wax (50) inside. Reducing the thickness or, in other words, thinning the cup (10) would compromise its durability over time due to the expansion force of the wax (50), which would deform the shape of the cup (10). Therefore, achieving faster temperature detection by the thermoelement (1 ) without compromising the cup's (10) durability is achieved through the thread or grooved configurations of the inner surface (10.1 ) and outer surface (10.2).

[0039] The main function of the piston structures is to open the thermostat valve that allows the coolant flow to the radiator. In the present invention, both a mechanical piston (20) and a cartridge resistor piston (21 ) can be used as two different piston structures. The mechanical piston (20) is configured in a cylindrical shape. On the other hand, the cartridge resistor piston (21 ) is produced with the same characteristics as the mechanical piston (20), except that it contains resistors connected to cables.

[0040] The head (30) structure is attached to the top of the cup (10). The head (30) acts as a kind of cover by closing the cup (10) from the top and holding the mechanical piston (20) or cartridge resistor piston (21 ) that passes through the head (30) in a centered and stable position.

[0041] The purpose of using the cork-like gasket (40) in the present invention is to prevent the elastomer structure used in a thermoelement (1 ) with a cartridge resistor piston (21 ) from hindering the cartridge-resistor's sudden temperature increase from reaching the wax (50) and to avoid a delayed response of the wax (50) to the increased temperature. This way, when the piston's temperature rises, it directly contacts the wax (50), minimizing the impact on the elastomer. In the present invention, when the operating temperature of internal combustion engines exceeds the ideal range, the coolant flow exiting the engine is directed to the radiator through the thermostat. For this transmission to occur, the thermoelement (1 ) needs to detect the coolant temperature and open the valve to allow coolant flow to the radiator. The wax (50) inside the thermoelement (1 ), which is part of the thermostat assembly, expands with the coolant temperature and vertically moves the mechanical piston (20) or cartridge resistor piston (21) to open the thermostat valve. Even if the engine exceeds the ideal operating temperature, it continues to operate above the ideal range until the coolant temperature is detected by the thermoelement (1 ) and the valve is opened. To prevent this situation, it is necessary for the wax (50) inside the cup (10) to detect the temperature more quickly and for the thermoelement (1 ) to respond faster. To achieve this, the surface area of the cup (10) is increased without compromising its durability by designing at least one of the inner surface (10.1 ) and outer surface (10.2) with a thread / grooved structure. As a result, the thermoelement (1 ) responds faster to open the valve. Cross-sectional views of the thermoelements (1 ) with at least one thread / grooved surface can be seen in Figure 1 , Figure 2, Figure 3, and Figure 4. The configuration of thread / grooved structures on the inner surface (10.1 ) and outer surface (10.2) of the mentioned cup (10) is preferably carried out with the help of metric guides.

[0042] In the map-controlled thermostat assembly, the temperature of the coolant flow exiting the engine is measured, and when it exceeds a threshold value, the cartridge resistor piston (21 ) inside the thermoelement (1 ) is externally heated, causing the wax (50) mixture to rapidly expand and move the piston. The aim is to control the valve in a shorter time than it takes for the thermoelement (1 ) to detect the coolant temperature coming from the engine outlet. The temperature of the coolant flow exiting the engine is measured with the help of a sensor, and this measured temperature value is transmitted to and evaluated by the ECU. When the coolant flow at a temperature above the threshold value exits the engine, it is heated by supplying energy to the cartridge resistor piston (21 ). The cartridge resistor has two energy cables. When these cables are energized, the cartridge-resistor quickly reaches high temperatures compared to the coolant flow. As a result, in addition to the thermoelement (1 ) detecting the temperature when it comes into contact with the coolant flow exiting the engine, the cartridge resistor piston (21 ) also responds faster. The expanding wax (50) mixture, heated by the cartridge resistor, moves the cartridge resistor piston (21 ). The thermoelement (1 ), heated by the cartridge-resistor, can detect and respond to heat in a shorter time than expected due to the thread / grooved structures configured on the inner surface (10.1 ) and / or outer surface (10.2) of the cup (10). Therefore, both the mechanical piston (20) and the cartridge resistor piston (21 ) in the present invention can respond much faster due to the thread / grooved design in the inner surface (10.1 ) and / or outer surface (10.2) structures of the cup (10), compared to conventional cup structures. This prevents the delayed response of the thermoelement (1 ) and the occurrence of the engine operating above the ideal temperature. Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the thermoelement (1 ) with the cartridge resistor piston (21 ) and thread / grooved structures on both the inner surface

[0043] (10.1 ) and outer surface (10.2) of the cup (10), demonstrating its fastest response to the coolant flow temperature in conducted tests.

[0044] Figure 7 provides a graph depicting the response times of the thermoelement (1 ) configurations shown in Figures 1 and 6. It demonstrates that the thermoelement (1) with both the cartridge resistor piston (21 ) and the thread / grooved cup (10) applied to the inner surface (10.1 ) and outer surface

[0045] (10.2) exhibits a faster response time and a quicker increase in temperature compared to the thermoelement (1 ) with only the mechanical piston (20) and the thread / grooved cup (10) applied to the inner surface (10.1 ).

Claims

CLAIMS A thermoelement (1 ) responsible for controlling a thermostat valve that directs the coolant flow from an engine to a radiator, comprising at least one cup (10) having at least one inner surface (10.1 ) and outer surface (10.2), characterized in that; the at least one of the inner surface (10.1 ) and outer surface (10.2) of the cup (10) is configured with a thread / grooved structure, in order to enable faster detection of the coolant temperature by increasing its surface area without compromising the durability of the cup (10) structure. The thermoelement (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that; comprising at least one mechanical piston (20) or cartridge resistor piston (21 ) that passes through the elements of the head (30) and gasket (40) and extends into the wax (50) fluid to open the thermostat valve. The thermoelement (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that; comprising at least one head (30) to center, guide and hold the mechanical piston (20) or cartridge resistor piston (21 ) passing through it in a vertical manner, and to provide contact by closing the upper part of the cup (10) like a lid. The thermoelement (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that; comprising at least one gasket (40) that does not hinder the sudden temperature increase of the cartridge resistor in the cartridge resistor piston (21 ) from being detected by the wax (50) mixture and allows the resistor portion of the cartridge resistor piston (21 ) to directly contact the wax (50) element. The thermoelement (1 ) according to claim 4, characterized in that; comprising at least one gasket (40), which is positioned on the cup (10) in order to prevent it from escaping outside the cup (10) with the movement of the mechanical piston (20) or the cartridge resistor piston (21 ) by trapping the wax (50) mixture within the cup (10).

Images