Actuating flap arrangement assembly, particularly for gas flow in a fuel cell system - Patents.com

Abstract

To improve an actuation flap structure assembly to substantially prevent gas leakage with a structurally simple configuration.SOLUTION: An actuation flap structure assembly includes a bearing device (70) in which at least one of a first bearing region (28) and a second bearing region rotatably supports a pivot (18). In the bearing device (70), the pivot (18) comprises: a bearing projection (74) arranged so as to surround a pivot axis (A), being protruded in a direction toward an opposed bearing region (76) provided on an actuation flap casing (14); and a bearing recess (78) arranged so as to surround the pivot axis (A), at least partially accommodating the bearing projection (74), in the opposed bearing region (76).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuating flap arrangement assembly for gas flow, for example in a fuel cell system, which may be used, for example, in a vehicle, to provide electrical energy.

[0002] In such fuel cell systems, depending on the operating conditions, it is necessary to guide different gas flows through or past the anode or cathode regions of the fuel cell or fuel cell stack, whereby high demands are placed on the tightness of the actuating flap arrangement assemblies used to regulate such gas flows, in order to ensure that leakage flows can be eliminated or that gas cannot substantially escape to the environment, particularly in operating conditions where it is desirable not to guide certain gas flows through or past the fuel cell.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to improve an actuating flap arrangement assembly for gas flow, particularly in a vehicle, in particular in a fuel cell system, so that gas leakage can be substantially prevented with a structurally simple arrangement.

[0004] According to the invention, the object is achieved by providing an actuation flap arrangement assembly for a gas flow, in particular in a vehicle, in particular in a fuel cell system, comprising an actuation flap casing providing a gas flow path and an actuation flap adjustable in the actuation flap casing between a closed position in which the gas flow through the gas flow path is substantially blocked and at least one open position in which the gas flow path is opened for flow, the actuation flap having a disk-shaped actuation flap body supported on a pivot that is rotatable about a pivot axis, the pivot being rotatable about the pivot axis in a first bearing area provided on the actuation flap casing, which is to be connected to a pivot drive. The problem is solved by an operating flap configuration assembly having a first pivot shaft end section supported on the operating flap casing and a second pivot shaft end section supported rotatably around the pivot shaft axis in a second bearing area provided in the operating flap casing, wherein at least one of the first bearing area and the second bearing area includes a bearing device for rotatably supporting the pivot shaft, the bearing device having a bearing protrusion on the pivot shaft, arranged to surround the pivot shaft axis, protruding in a direction toward an opposing bearing area provided in the operating flap casing, and a bearing recess in the opposing bearing area, arranged to surround the pivot shaft axis, for at least partially accommodating the bearing protrusion.

[0005] By providing a bearing protrusion and a bearing recess which accommodates said bearing protrusion, a ball-joint-like cooperation is made possible, whereby a gas-tight closure of the actuating flap construction assembly is achieved, even in the event of relative movement between the pivot shaft and the actuating flap casing, which may result in local tilting of the pivot shaft, in particular in the area of ​​at least one of the bearing regions.

[0006] Since in the first pivot end section the pivot shaft must be guided through the correspondingly arranged first bearing area in order to be able to achieve a connection with the pivot drive, it is particularly advantageous for a gas-tight closure if at least one of the bearing areas is a first bearing area. In the second bearing area, in which the second pivot axis of the pivot shaft is not guided through the bearing area or does not have to be guided out of the bearing area, the gas-tight closure can be provided by other means, for example by a complete surrounding of the second pivot end section by a bearing bush.

[0007] For a perfectly gas-tight closure over the entire circumference of the pivot shaft, it is proposed that the bearing projection and the bearing recess surround the pivot shaft axis in an annular manner.

[0008] The counter bearing area may comprise a bearing ring supported on the actuating flap casing, with an opening through which the pivot shaft passes, and on which the pivot shaft may thus be supported so as to be rotatable about the pivot shaft axis both axially and radially.

[0009] In order to be able to ensure a defined positioning in the actuating flap casing for the bearing ring, the bearing ring can be accommodated in a bearing bush which is supported on the actuating flap casing.

[0010] In order to provide a configuration of the bearing recess that cooperates with the bearing projection like a ball joint, the bearing recess may be formed substantially frustoconically, thus providing a substantially frustoconically shaped bearing surface for the bearing projection.

[0011] The bearing region may comprise a pivot head projecting radially at the pivot, the bearing projection being formed on the side of the pivot head facing the opposing bearing region.

[0012] In order to achieve a design requiring only a small number of components, it is proposed that the swivel head forms an integral part of the swivel. It is emphasized that, within the meaning of the present invention, this integral design means that the swivel head is formed integrally, i.e. monolithically, with the remaining sections of the swivel and is not provided by a separate component that has to be attached to the swivel.

[0013] In order to support the ball-joint-like cooperation of the bearing recess and the bearing projection, it is proposed that the bearing projection is formed with a curve in the direction towards the counter bearing region.

[0014] The invention further relates to a fuel cell system, in particular for a vehicle, comprising at least one actuating flap arrangement assembly according to the invention.

[0015] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of a fuel cell system for a vehicle. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an actuation flap configuration assembly for a fuel cell system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the bearing area for the pivot shaft of the actuating flap arrangement assembly.

[0017] Before the inventive configuration of an actuating flap arrangement assembly for a fuel cell system is described in detail below with respect to the structure of the fuel cell system, which is provided in particular to provide a tight closure, the basic structure of a fuel cell system, which can supply electrical energy, for example in a vehicle, is described with reference to Fig. 1 and the basic structure of the actuating flap arrangement assembly is described with reference to Fig. 2. This actuating flap arrangement assembly, which is particularly arranged in correspondence with the cathode region of a fuel cell system of this kind, can be used to regulate the gas flow or to close the cathode region against flow.

[0018] The fuel cell system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes as its main system regions a fuel cell generally designated 102 with an anode region 104 to be supplied with hydrogen or a hydrogen-containing gas, and a cathode region 106 to be supplied with oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas, such as air.

[0019] The anode region 104 is associated with a supply line 108 and an outlet line 110 equipped with respective valves 112, 114, by means of which hydrogen or a gas containing hydrogen can be introduced into the anode region 104 or anode exhaust gas can be taken out from the anode region 104, and the anode region 104 can be completely closed off if necessary.

[0020] The cathode region 106 is associated with a supply line 116, through which an oxygen-containing gas, e.g., air, can be introduced into the cathode region, e.g., by means of a compressor 118 or the like. An actuated flap arrangement assembly, generally indicated at 10, is provided within the supply line 116, by which the gas flow can be regulated via the supply line 116 or the cathode region 106 can be substantially gas-tightly closed at its introduction region.

[0021] For the discharge of the cathode exhaust gas, an outlet line 120 is assigned to the cathode region 106. This exhaust gas supply line 120 leads to a fuel cell exhaust gas device 122, in which the water contained in the cathode exhaust gas can be separated, for example, by means of a water separator. Furthermore, a further actuating flap arrangement assembly 10' is arranged in the outlet line 120, by means of which the outlet line 120 and thus the outlet region of the cathode region 106 can be closed substantially gas-tight.

[0022] A bypass line 124 extends between the supply line 116 and the outlet line 120 of the cathode region 106. An actuating flap arrangement assembly 10'' is also disposed within the bypass line 124, and allows gas flow to be regulated through the bypass line 124 or the bypass line 124 to be substantially gas-tightly closed.

[0023] 1 and described above is merely one example of many different possibilities for supplying and exhausting gases, particularly in the cathode region 106. What is important is that there is at least one, and possibly several, actuating flap arrangement assemblies 10, 10', 10'', arranged corresponding to the cathode region 106, and if several such actuating flap arrangement assemblies 10, 10', 10'', these may be essentially identical in structure to one another or may be differently formed, depending on in which region they are positioned and how much gas tightness they can provide.

[0024] The actuating flap configuration assembly 10 shown in FIG. 2 and used, for example, in the fuel cell system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes an actuating flap drive 12, for example an electric motor, and includes an actuating flap, generally indicated by the numeral 16, within an actuating flap casing 14 that is tubular in shape and surrounds a gas flow path 46.

[0025] The actuating flap 16 comprises a disk-shaped actuating flap body 24 with two actuating flap body parts 20, 22 each providing one flap vane, supported pivotably about the pivot axis A on the pivot 18. Arranged corresponding to the actuating flap 16, the actuating flap casing 14 is provided with an actuating flap seat 26 against which the actuating flap 16 rests in a closing area 40 located radially outward with respect to a central area Z of the actuating flap 16 in the closed position of the actuating flap 16.

[0026] To move the actuating flap 16 between a closed position and a fully open position, in which the disk-shaped actuating flap body 24 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the drawing plane of Fig. 1, thereby substantially fully opening the gas flow passage 46 in the actuating flap casing 14 for flow, the drive shaft 34 of the actuating flap drive 12 is connected by a coupling device 32 for co-rotation with the pivot shaft 18, which is supported for rotation about the pivot shaft axis A in the bearing areas 28, 30 of the actuating flap casing 14. The coupling device 32 comprises, for example, a connecting part 38 connected non-rotatably to the drive shaft 34 and a connecting part 36 connected non-rotatably to the pivot shaft 18, the connecting part 36 being in rotationally coupled engagement with the connecting part 38.

[0027] The two bearing regions 28, 30 each include a bearing bushing 42, 44 supported on the operating flap casing 14, for example fixed by welding to the outer peripheral surface of the operating flap casing 14, and within the bearing bushings 42, 44, the respective axial end sections of the pivot shaft 18 are accommodated so as to be rotatable about the pivot shaft axis A.

[0028] Of the two bearing areas 28, 30, the bearing area 28 forms a first bearing area in which a first pivot shaft end section 48 of the pivot shaft 18 is rotatably supported. The first pivot shaft end section 48 projects axially beyond the first bearing area 28 so as to be connected to the drive shaft 34 by a coupling device 32. The bearing area 30 forms a second bearing area in which a second pivot shaft end section 50 of the pivot shaft 18 is rotatably supported about the pivot shaft axis A.

[0029] In Fig. 3 the first bearing area 28 is shown in detail. The first bearing area 28 comprises a bearing bush 42 which is fixed gas-tightly to the outer circumferential surface 54 of the actuating flap casing 14, for example by means of a completely annular weld seam 52. The bearing bush 42 comprises a peripheral wall 56 and, adjoining the peripheral wall 56, a bottom 58 with an opening 60 through which the pivot shaft 18 is passed. It is suggested that the bearing bush 42 can simply have the peripheral wall 56 and not have a bottom wall. This allows a simpler fixing of the bearing bush 42 in the actuating flap casing 14 or a more simply manufactured construction of the bearing bush 42, in particular when the outer circumferential surface 54 of the actuating flap casing 14 has a curved contour.

[0030] A bearing unit, designated as a whole by the reference number 62, is accommodated in the bearing bush 42. In the illustrated embodiment, the bearing unit 62 has a bearing ring 64 which receives and radially supports the first pivot shaft end section 48 and is therefore configured as a plain bearing unit. The bearing ring 64 is accommodated in the bearing bush 42, for example by means of a press fit, and is therefore held in an axially defined position on the peripheral wall 56 of the bearing bush 42. The pivot shaft 18 is supported in the axial direction on the bearing ring 64 by means of a flange-shaped pivot shaft head 66 on the first pivot shaft end section 48, in a manner which will be described in more detail below. The preload that holds the pivot head 66 of the pivot shaft 18 against the bearing ring 64 can be provided by a preload spring 68 acting between the pivot shaft 18 or the connecting part 36 and the drive shaft 34 or the connecting part 38, so that a defined positioning of the bearing ring 64 in the bearing bush 42 also determines a defined positioning of the pivot shaft 18 and thus of the entire actuating flap 16 in the actuating flap casing 14.

[0031] For the axially and radially defined and in particular gas-tight support of the pivot shaft 18 with respect to the actuating flap casing 14, a bearing arrangement, generally designated by the reference number 70, is provided. The bearing arrangement 70 comprises a bearing area 72 at the pivot shaft head 66. This bearing area 72 comprises, on the axial side of the pivot shaft head 66 facing the bearing ring 64, a bearing projection 74 which preferably completely surrounds the pivot shaft axis A without interruption. The bearing projection 74 is formed convexly in an annular configuration completely surrounding the pivot shaft axis A, i.e. curved outwards towards the bearing ring 64.

[0032] The bearing arrangement 70 includes an opposed bearing area 76 in the bearing ring 64 with a bearing recess 78 for at least partially axially receiving the bearing projection 74. The bearing recess 78 is shaped to expand frustoconically from an opening 80 in the bearing ring 64 for receiving the pivot 18 radially outwardly and toward the pivot head 66, thereby providing a frustoconical bearing surface 82 for axially and radially supporting the curved bearing projection 74.

[0033] The bearing area 72 with the bearing projection 74 and the counter bearing area 76 with the bearing recess 78 form a bearing arrangement which acts like a ball joint and which essentially allows for at least a slight tilting movement of the pivot shaft 18 at its first pivot shaft end section 48. In the event of relative movements between the pivot shaft head 66 and the bearing ring 64, the bearing projection 74, which provides a raised or curved and essentially ball-shaped contact area, remains in contact over its entire circumference against the bearing surface 82 of the bearing recess 78. Such relative movements between the pivot shaft 18 and the bearing ring 64, or essentially the operating flap casing 14, therefore do not lead to local non-tightness of the bearing arrangement 70.

[0034] To allow this relative movement between the first pivot end section 48 and the bearing ring 64 of the bearing unit 62, an opening 80 in the bearing ring 64 can be dimensioned such that the pivot shaft 18 is received by this opening 80 with at least a small radial clearance, and thus the pivot shaft 18 can tilt relative to the bearing ring 64 in its length section passing through the bearing ring 64. In principle, this radial clearance can also be provided by a bearing clearance which inevitably occurs when the bearing ring 64 is designed as a plain bearing ring, so that such relative movements leading to a tilting of the pivot shaft 18 relative to the bearing ring 64, which may occur, for example, in the event of vibrations, can be limited to a minimum.

[0035] In the configuration of the bearing arrangement 70 shown in Fig. 3, the curved, essentially convexly formed bearing projection 74 has a relatively small radius of curvature. Essentially, the bearing projection 74 may be formed such that the entire bearing projection 74 or the convex surface formed by the bearing projection is provided by a recessed spherical section formed concentrically with respect to the pivot axis A.

[0036] It is further suggested that the bearing surface 82 of the bearing ring 64, which in the illustrated embodiment is formed in the shape of a truncated cone, can also be formed curved, in this case concavely curved. The radius of curvature can, for example, correspond to the radius of curvature of the bearing lug 74, or a particularly large radius of curvature can be provided for the bearing surface 82, which differs from the radius of curvature for the bearing lug 74.

[0037] It is suggested that in principle such a structure may also be provided in the second bearing region 30. However, since in the second bearing region 30 the pivot shaft 18 does not emerge therefrom, a gas-tight closure can also be achieved by the bearing bush 44 of the second bearing region 30 completely, i.e. also axially, surrounding the second pivot shaft end section, for example by a cover being provided at the circumferential wall of the bearing bush 44, which closes the bearing bush 44 in the axial direction.

[0038] Finally, it is suggested that the actuating flap arrangement assembly previously described above can be used with particular advantage in the gas flows of fuel cell systems, but can also be used in other application areas, for example in the exhaust gas flows of internal combustion engines.

Claims

1. An actuating flap configuration assembly (10), comprising: an actuating flap casing (14) providing a gas flow path (46); and an actuating flap (16) positionably adjustable within the actuating flap casing (14) between a closed position which substantially blocks gas flow through the gas flow path (46) and at least one open position which opens the gas flow path (46) for flow, the actuating flap (16) comprising a disk-shaped actuating flap body (24) supported on a pivot (18) rotatable about a pivot axis (A), the pivot (18) comprising a first pivot shaft end section (48) rotatably supported about the pivot axis (A) in a first bearing region (28) provided on the actuating flap casing (14) to be connected to a pivot shaft drive (12), the first pivot shaft end section (48) being rotatably supported about the pivot axis (A) in a first bearing region (28) provided on the actuating flap casing (14) and a second pivot shaft end section (50) rotatably supported about the pivot shaft axis (A) in a second bearing area (30) provided in the operating flap casing (14), the first bearing area (28) comprising a bearing device (70) for rotatably supporting the pivot shaft (18), the bearing device (70) including a bearing projection (74) on the pivot shaft (18) that is arranged to surround the pivot shaft axis (A) and that projects in a direction toward an opposing bearing area (76) provided in the operating flap casing (14) and is formed in a curved shape in the direction toward the opposing bearing area (76), and a bearing recess (78) in the opposing bearing area (76) that is arranged to surround the pivot shaft axis (A) and that at least partially accommodates the bearing projection (74). An actuating flap arrangement assembly (10), The actuating flap construction assembly (10) is characterized in that the bearing recess (78) is formed in a frustoconical shape.

2. The bearing projection (74) and the bearing recess (78) annularly surround the pivot axis (A). The actuating flap configuration assembly (10) of claim 1.

3. the opposing bearing area (76) including a bearing ring (64) supported on the operating flap casing (14) and having an opening (80) through which the pivot shaft (18) is passed; The actuating flap configuration assembly (10) of claim 1.

4. The bearing ring (64) is housed in a bearing bush (42) supported on the operating flap casing (14). The actuating flap configuration assembly (10) of claim 3.

5. the bearing area (72) comprises a pivot head (66) projecting radially from the pivot (18), the bearing projection (74) being formed on the side of the pivot head (66) facing the opposing bearing area (76); The actuating flap configuration assembly (10) of claim 1.

6. said pivot head (66) forming an integral part of said pivot (18); The actuating flap configuration assembly (10) of claim 5.

7. An actuating flap configuration assembly (10) as described in claim 1, wherein the pivot drive device (12) includes a drive shaft (34) connected to the pivot shaft (18) by a coupling device (32) for rotation therewith, the coupling device (32) including a connecting portion (38) connected to the drive shaft (34) so ​​as to be non-rotatable relative to the drive shaft, and a connecting portion (36) connected to the pivot shaft (18) so as to be non-rotatable relative to the pivot shaft, and in rotationally coupled engagement with the connecting portion (38).

8. - the opposing bearing area (76) comprises a bearing ring (64) supported on the working flap casing (14) and provided with an opening (80) through which the pivot shaft (18) is passed, - said bearing area (72) comprises a pivot head (66) projecting radially at said pivot (18), said bearing projection (74) being formed on the side of said pivot head (66) facing said counter bearing area (76); The actuating flap arrangement assembly (10) of claim 7, further comprising a preload spring (68) acting between said pivot (18) and said drive shaft (34) to provide a preload force that holds said pivot head (66) against said bearing ring (64).

9. A fuel cell system (100) comprising at least one actuating flap arrangement assembly (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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