Multi-way valve for a motor vehicle and method for operating a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1 and a method for operating a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle.

[0002] Such multi-way valves for motor vehicles and methods for their operation are already known from the state of the art in numerous design variants.

[0003] The document DE 11 2014 000 253 B4 discloses a coolant regulator ,according to the preamble of claim 1, comprising a housing in which a lower and an upper chamber are arranged one above the other along an axis of rotation and are essentially tightly separated from one another by means of a partition wall, a lower valve body arranged in the lower chamber so as to be rotatable about the axis of rotation, an upper valve body arranged in the upper chamber so as to be rotatable about the axis of rotation and a drive shaft for automatically driving the lower and the upper valve body, wherein the drive shaft is connected to one of the two valve bodies in a torque-transmitting manner and this valve body is connected to the other of the two valve bodies in a torque-transmitting manner.

[0004] This is where the present invention comes in.

[0005] The present invention is based on the object of improving a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle and a method for operating a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle.

[0006] This object is achieved by a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle having the features of claim 1, which is characterized in that the multi-way valve has a control device for controlling the correct circumferential alignment of the lower valve body relative to the upper valve body, and depending on a relative misalignment of the two valve bodies in the circumferential direction, a reaction to this detected misalignment can be automatically triggered. Furthermore, this object is achieved by a method for operating a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle having the features of claim 10. The subclaims relate to advantageous developments of the invention.

[0007] A significant advantage of the invention lies in particular in the fact that a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle and a method for operating a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle are improved. Due to the inventive design of the multi-way valve for a motor vehicle and the method for operating a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle, for example, mechanical damage to the multi-way valve according to the invention can be reliably detected, in particular to the valve body which is only indirectly driven by means of the valve body driven directly by the drive shaft. The aforementioned mechanical damage can, for example, be a failure of the positive and / or non-positive connection between the only indirectly driven valve body and the valve body driven directly by the drive shaft.

[0008] In principle, the multi-way valve for a motor vehicle according to the invention can be freely selected within wide, suitable limits in terms of type, function, material, and dimensions. For example, the multi-way valve for a motor vehicle according to the invention can be advantageously used in a cooling system for an electric vehicle.

[0009] An advantageous development of the multi-way valve according to the invention provides that the control device has a controller and a sensor connected to the controller for transmitting signals for automatically determining an actual angle of rotation during the rotation of the two valve bodies from a first end position to a second end position. The actual angle of rotation is compared in the controller with a predetermined nominal angle of rotation during the rotation of the two valve bodies about the axis of rotation. The actual angle of rotation corresponds to the nominal angle of rotation given correct relative alignment in the circumferential direction of the two valve bodies. This makes it particularly simple and reliable to detect the presence of mechanical damage in the multi-way valve according to the invention.

[0010] A particularly advantageous development of the multi-way valve according to the invention provides that the control device comprises a lower sliding block / gate pairing arranged on the partition wall and the lower valve body, and an upper sliding block / gate pairing arranged on the partition wall and the upper valve body. In this way, the control device of the multi-way valve according to the invention can be implemented in a particularly simple and robust manner in terms of design and manufacturing technology.

[0011] An advantageous further development of the aforementioned embodiment of the multi-way valve according to the invention provides that the gates of the two pairs of sliding blocks and gates are arranged offset from one another in the circumferential direction such that the first end position is mechanically fixed by one pair of sliding blocks and gates, and the second end position is mechanically fixed by the other pair of sliding blocks and gates. This enables the mechanical design of the control device of the multi-way valve according to the invention in a very simple manner.

[0012] An advantageous further development of the latter embodiment of the multi-way valve according to the invention provides that the nominal angle of rotation is 180°, with each of the gates of the two gate-block pairs enabling a range of rotation angles greater than 180°. This angle of rotation is particularly suitable for the application of the multi-way valve according to the invention.

[0013] Another advantageous development of the multi-way valve according to the invention provides that the housing has a housing shell, wherein a lower and an upper open end of the housing shell can be essentially tightly covered by a lower and an upper housing cover, wherein a drive shaft opening for the passage of the drive shaft is arranged in one of the housing covers. In this way, the housing can be implemented in a simple manner in terms of design and manufacturing technology.

[0014] A further advantageous development of the multi-way valve according to the invention provides that the drive shaft is designed as an integral component of the lower or upper valve body. This further simplifies the design and manufacture of the multi-way valve according to the invention.

[0015] Another advantageous development of the multi-way valve according to the invention provides that the valve body connected to the drive shaft in a torque-transmitting manner is mechanically connected to the other valve body for the purpose of torque transmission by means of a coupling, wherein the coupling has a lower coupling part assigned to the lower valve body and an upper coupling part assigned to the upper valve body, and wherein the lower or the upper coupling part protrudes through a coupling opening in the partition wall, preferably that the lower coupling part is designed as an integral component of the lower valve body and / or the upper coupling part is designed as an integral component of the upper valve body. In this way, the torque-transmitting connection between the two valve bodies for joint rotation about the axis of rotation can be implemented very easily. This applies in particular to the preferred embodiment of this development.

[0016] A further advantageous development of the multi-way valve according to the invention provides that a separate seal is arranged between the housing and the lower valve body and / or the upper valve body and / or between the housing shell and the lower and / or upper housing cover and / or between the drive shaft and the lower or upper housing cover and / or between the partition wall and the lower or upper coupling part. This significantly simplifies the sealing of the multi-way valve according to the invention from the free environment on the one hand and the sealing of the individual components of the multi-way valve according to the invention that move relative to one another on the other. Furthermore, it is possible to better adapt the respective seal to the requirements of the respective individual case. This applies, for example, to the choice of material.In principle, however, it is possible for the aforementioned seals to be at least partially formed as an integral part of one of the aforementioned components of the multi-way valve according to the invention.

[0017] The invention is explained in more detail below using the attached, roughly schematic drawing. It shows: Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the multi-way valve according to the invention for a motor vehicle in a sectional side view, Fig. 2 shows the embodiment in a sectional view from below of the partition wall (image plane above) and in a sectional view from above of the partition wall (image plane below), with the two valve bodies in a first end position, Fig. 2b shows the embodiment in a sectional view from below of the partition wall (image plane above) and in a sectional view from above of the partition wall (image plane below), with the two valve bodies in a second end position, Fig. 3 shows the embodiment in a sectional exploded view, Fig. 3b shows the embodiment in a Fig. 3a corresponding exploded view, Fig. 4a shows the embodiment in a first perspective exploded view and Fig. 4b shows the embodiment in a second perspective exploded view.

[0018] In the Fig. 1 bis 4b An embodiment of the multi-way valve according to the invention for a motor vehicle is shown purely by way of example.

[0019] The multi-way valve 2 for a cooling system of an electric vehicle (not shown in detail) comprises a housing 4 in which a lower and an upper chamber 6, 8 are arranged one above the other along a rotation axis 10 and are essentially tightly separated from one another by a partition wall 12, a lower valve body 14 arranged in the lower chamber 6 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis 10, an upper valve body 16 arranged in the upper chamber 8 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis 10, and a drive shaft 18 for automatically driving the lower and upper valve bodies 14, 16. The drive shaft 18 is connected to the upper valve body 16 in a torque-transmitting manner, and this valve body 16 is connected to the lower valve body 14 in a torque-transmitting manner. In the present exemplary embodiment, the drive shaft 18 is designed as an integral component of the upper valve body 16.

[0020] According to the invention, the multi-way valve 2 has a control device 20 for monitoring the correct circumferential alignment of the lower valve body 14 relative to the upper valve body 16. Depending on a relative misalignment of the two valve bodies 14, 16 in the circumferential direction, a reaction to this detected misalignment can be automatically triggered.

[0021] The control device 20 has a controller (not shown) and a sensor (also not shown) which is connected to the controller in a signal-transmitting manner and for automatically determining an actual angle of rotation when the two valve bodies 14, 16 rotate from a first end position to a second end position, wherein the actual angle of rotation is compared in the controller with a previously defined nominal angle of rotation when the two valve bodies 14, 16 rotate about the axis of rotation 10, and wherein the actual angle of rotation corresponds to the nominal angle of rotation when the two valve bodies 14, 16 are correctly aligned relative to each other in the circumferential direction.

[0022] The control device 20 further comprises a lower sliding block-sliding block pairing 22, 24 arranged on the partition wall 12 and the lower valve body 14 and an upper sliding block-sliding block pairing 26, 28 arranged on the partition wall 12 and the upper valve body 16. The lower sliding block-sliding block pairing 22, 24 comprises the sliding block 22 formed integrally on the lower valve body 14 and the sliding block 24 formed as a groove in the partition wall 12. The upper sliding block-sliding block pairing 26, 28 comprises the sliding block 26 formed integrally on the upper valve body 16 and the sliding block 28 formed as a groove in the partition wall 12. See in particular the Fig. 1 .

[0023] In the present embodiment, the links 24, 28 of the two sliding block-link pairs 22, 24; 26, 28 are arranged offset from one another in the circumferential direction such that the first end position is mechanically fixed by means of the lower sliding block-link pair 22, 24 and the second end position is mechanically fixed by means of the upper sliding block-link pair 26, 28. See in particular the Fig. 2a and 2b The second end position is here by means of the Fig. 2a in the image plane above shown second sliding block-scene pairing 26, 28 mechanically fixed, while the sliding block 22 in the backdrop 24, as in the image plane of the Fig. 2a shown below, is not yet in contact with one of the two ends of the gate 24. The first end position is here determined by means of the Fig. 2b in the image plane below shown first sliding block-scenery pairing 22, 24 mechanically fixed, while the sliding block 26 in the scenery 28, as in the image plane of the Fig. 2b shown above, does not yet rest on one of the two ends of the link 28.

[0024] As can be seen from a summary of the Fig. 2a and 2b As can be seen, the nominal angle of rotation here is 180°, whereby each of the guides 24, 28 of the two sliding block-guide pairs 22, 24; 26, 28 enables a range of angles of rotation of greater than 180°.

[0025] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the housing 4 has a housing shell 30, wherein a lower and an upper open end of the housing shell 30 can be covered in a substantially sealed manner by means of a lower and an upper housing cover 32, 34, wherein a drive shaft opening 36 for the passage of the drive shaft 18 is arranged in the upper housing cover 34.

[0026] The upper valve body 16, which is connected to the drive shaft 18 in a torque-transmitting manner, is mechanically connected to the lower valve body 14 for the purpose of torque transmission by means of a coupling 38, wherein the coupling 38 has a lower coupling part 40 assigned to the lower valve body 14 and an upper coupling part 42 assigned to the upper valve body 16, and wherein the upper coupling part 42 protrudes through a coupling opening 44 in the partition wall 12. The lower coupling part 40 is designed as an integral component of the lower valve body 14, namely as a receptacle, and the upper coupling part 42 is designed as an integral component of the upper valve body 16, namely as a projection. See in particular the Fig. 3a .

[0027] Seals are arranged between the housing 4 and the lower valve body 14 and the upper valve body 16, between the housing shell 30 and the lower and upper housing covers 32, 34, between the drive shaft 18 and the upper housing cover 34, and between the partition wall 18 and the upper coupling part 42. The seals can, for example, be designed as an integral part of one of the aforementioned components of the multi-way valve 2. Purely by way of example, the Fig. 1 , 3a , 4a and 4b the seals 46, 48 are shown.

[0028] In the following, the functioning of the multi-way valve according to the invention and the method according to the invention according to the present embodiment are explained with reference to the Fig. 1 bis 4b explained in more detail.

[0029] First, the two valve bodies 14, 16 of the multi-way valve 2 are in the Fig. 2a This second end position is, as already explained above, mechanically fixed by means of the upper sliding block-link pairing 26, 28. See the upper illustration in the Fig. 2a . Although the lower valve body 14 could theoretically move due to the lower sliding block-gate pairing 22, 24, based on the lower illustration in the Fig. 2a , continue to rotate counterclockwise. However, this is prevented by the aforementioned mechanical fixation by means of the upper sliding block / guide pair 26, 28.

[0030] If the two valve bodies 14, 16 of the multi-way valve 2 are now moved from their second end position to their first end position by means of the drive shaft 18, the sliding block 22 moves, based on the lower illustration in the Fig. 2b , clockwise in the link 24 until the link block 22 rests against the end of the link 24 corresponding to the first end position. As can be seen from the upper illustration of the Fig 2b As can be seen, it would be possible here that the upper valve body 16 could theoretically move due to the upper sliding block-sliding block pairing 26, 28, based on the upper illustration in the Fig. 2b , could rotate even further clockwise. However, this is prevented by the aforementioned mechanical fixation by means of the lower sliding block / guide pair 22, 24.

[0031] The multi-way valve 2 is mechanically sound, and the actual angle of rotation determined by the sensor during the rotation of the two valve bodies 14, 16 around the rotation axis 10 corresponds to the nominal angle of rotation, namely 180°. The control system, which compares the measured actual angle of rotation with the nominal angle of rotation, thus detects no error in the relative circumferential alignment of the two valve bodies.

[0032] In the event of a fault, i.e., if the lower valve body 14 is rotated in the circumferential direction relative to the upper valve body 16 about the rotation axis 10, the aforementioned mechanical design of the control device 20 would make it possible to rotate the two valve bodies 14, 16 by more than 180° about the rotation axis 10. Accordingly, the sensor would detect an actual angle of rotation greater than 180°, and comparing this actual angle of rotation with the nominal angle of rotation of 180° stored in the control system would not produce a match. Depending on the relative misalignment of the two valve bodies 14, 16 in the circumferential direction detected in the aforementioned manner, the control system would automatically trigger a reaction to this detected misalignment.For example, the response to the detected misalignment could involve issuing a visual and / or acoustic error message that is perceptible to the user, i.e., the driver of the electric vehicle. It is also conceivable that a function of the electric vehicle could be automatically restricted or prevented due to the detected misalignment.

[0033] Due to the inventive design of the multi-way valve 2 for a motor vehicle and the method for operating the multi-way valve 2 for a motor vehicle, mechanical damage to the multi-way valve 2 according to the invention can be reliably detected, in particular to the lower valve body 14, which is only indirectly driven by the upper valve body 16, which is directly driven by the drive shaft 18. The aforementioned mechanical damage can, for example, be a failure of the positive and / or non-positive connection between the lower valve body 14 and the upper valve body 16, which is directly driven by the drive shaft 18.

[0034] The invention is not limited to the present embodiment. For example, the invention can also be advantageously used in other types of motor vehicles.

[0035] In contrast to the present exemplary embodiment of the multi-way valve according to the invention, in other exemplary embodiments of the invention it can be provided that a separate seal is arranged between the housing and the lower valve body and / or the upper valve body and / or between the housing shell and the lower and / or upper housing cover and / or between the drive shaft and the lower or upper housing cover and / or between the partition wall and the lower or upper coupling part. This ensures, in an alternative way, the sealing of the multi-way valve according to the invention from the free environment on the one hand and the sealing of the individual components of the multi-way valve according to the invention that move relative to one another on the other. Furthermore, it is possible to better adapt the respective seal to the requirements of the respective individual case. This applies, for example, to the choice of material. List of reference symbols

[0036] 2 Multi-way valve 4 Housing 6 Lower chamber 8 Upper chamber 10 Rotary axis 12 Partition 14 Lower valve body 16 Upper valve body 18 Drive shaft 20 Control device 22 Slide block 24 Slide block 26 Slide block 28 Slide block 30 Housing shell of housing 4 32 Lower housing cover of housing 4 34 Upper housing cover of housing 4 36 Drive shaft opening 38 Coupling 40 Lower coupling part of coupling 38 42 Upper coupling part of coupling 38 44 Coupling opening 46 Seal 48 Seal

Claims

1. Multi-way valve (2) for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (4) in which a lower and an upper chamber (6, 8) are arranged above each other along a rotary axis (10) and are separated from each other by a partition wall (12) so as to be essentially leaktight, a lower valve body (14) in the lower chamber (6) arranged so as to be rotatable around the rotary axis (10), an upper valve body (16) in the upper chamber (8) arranged so as to be rotatable around the rotary axis (10) and a drive shaft (18) for automatically driving the lower and the upper valve body (14, 16), wherein the drive shaft (18) is connected to one of the two valve bodies (16) in a torque-transmitting manner and this valve body (16) is connected to the other of the two valve bodies (14) in a torque-transmitting manner, characterized in that that the multi-way valve (2) features a control device (20) for controlling the correct alignment in the circumferential direction of the lower valve body (14) relative to the upper valve body (16) and, depending on a relative misalignment of the two valve bodies (14, 16) in the circumferential direction, a reaction to such detected misalignment can be triggered automatically.

2. Multi-way valve (2) in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the control device (20) features a control unit and a sensor connected to the control unit in a signal-transmitting manner for automatically detecting an actual rotation angle during the rotation of the two valve bodies (14, 16) from a first final position to a second final position, wherein the actual rotation angle is compared in the control unit with a previously specified nominal rotation angle during rotation of the two valve bodies (14, 16) around the rotary axis (10) and wherein the actual rotation angle corresponds to the nominal rotation angle with a correct relative alignment in the circumferential direction of the two valve bodies (14, 16).

3. Multi-way valve (2) in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device (20) comprises a lower sliding block-slider pairing (22, 24) arranged on the partition wall (12) and the lower valve body (14) and an upper sliding block-slider pairing (26, 28) arranged on the partition wall (12) and the upper valve body (16).

4. Multi-way valve (2) in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the sliders (24, 28) of the two sliding block-slider pairings (22, 24; 26, 28) are arranged in the circumferential direction offset to each other in such a way that the first final position is mechanically fixed by means of the one sliding block-slider pairing (22, 24) and the second final position is mechanically fixed by means of the other sliding block-slider pairing (26, 28).

5. Multi-way valve (2) in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that that the nominal rotation angle is 180°, wherein each of the sliders (24, 28) of the two sliding block-slider pairings (22, 24; 26, 28) enable a rotation angle range of greater than 180°.

6. Multi-way valve (2) in accordance with one of claims 1 through 5, characterized in that the housing (4) features a housing shell (30), wherein a lower and an upper open end of the housing shell (30) can be covered to be essentially leaktight by means of an upper and a lower housing cover (32, 34), wherein a drive shaft aperture (36) is arranged in one of the housing covers (34) as a feedthrough for the drive shaft (18).

7. Multi-way valve (2) in accordance with one of claims 1 through 6, characterized in that the drive shaft (18) is formed as an integral part of the lower or the upper valve body (16).

8. Multi-way valve (2) in accordance with one of claims 1 through 7, characterized in that the valve body (16) connected to the drive shaft (18) in a torque-transmitting manner is mechanically connected to the other valve body (14) for the purpose of torque transmission by means of a coupling (38), wherein the coupling (38) features a lower coupling part (40) allocated to the lower valve body (14) and an upper coupling part (42) allocated to the upper valve body (16), and wherein the lower or the upper coupling part (42) extends through a coupling aperture (44) in the partition wall (12), preferentially in that the lower coupling part (40) is designed as an integral part of the lower valve body (14) and / or the upper coupling part (42) is designed as an integral part of the upper valve body (16).

9. Multi-way valve (2) in accordance with one of claims 1 through 8, characterized in that a separate seal is arranged in each case between the housing and the lower valve body and / or the upper valve body and / or between the housing shell and the lower and / or the upper housing cover and / or between the drive shaft and the lower or the upper housing cover and / or between the partition wall and the lower or the upper coupling part.

10. Method for operating a multi-way valve for a motor vehicle (2) in accordance with one of claims 1 through 9, according to which depending on a relative misalignment of the two valve bodies (14, 16) in the circumferential direction a reaction to such detected misalignment can be triggered automatically.