Coolant module for vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a coolant module, and in an embodiment, a coolant module comprises: a reservoir tank which stores coolant; and a valve which is in communication with the reservoir tank so that the coolant discharged from the reservoir tank flows therein and which adjusts the flow of the coolant, wherein the reservoir tank comprises a tank body storing the coolant and a coolant discharge port formed in the bottom surface of the tank body. The valve comprises a valve housing and a valve body which is rotated in the valve housing to adjust the flow of the coolant, and a coolant inlet port through which the coolant flows in is formed in the upper surface of the valve housing so that the coolant discharge port and the coolant inlet port can be connected to each other.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a coolant module for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a coolant module in which a coolant transfer flow path connected from a reservoir tank to a valve is positioned below the reservoir tank, thereby minimizing a layout.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Recently, there has been a need to develop environmental-friendly vehicles, which may be substituted for internal combustion engine vehicles, in order to cope with an increase in environmental pollution. The environmentally-friendly vehicle mainly includes a battery, a motor, and other electrical components, and a large amount of heat is generated from the above-mentioned components. The generated heat needs to be effectively removed to ensure performance of the vehicle.

[0003] A coolant module configured to circulate a coolant may be used to effectively recover the heat generated from the electrical components. However, the coolant module needs to be provided with a reservoir tank, a valve, and a water pump, which makes it difficult to mount the coolant module in a narrow space and causes a constraint on a layout.

[0004] In addition, in case that the coolant is placed under an inclined condition (e.g., in case that the vehicle travels on an inclined road, rapidly accelerates, or rapidly decelerates), the coolant cannot be smoothly supplied because of an arrangement position of a coolant outlet port of the reservoir tank, and the heat generated from the electrical components cannot be recovered to a desired degree, which causes a problem of a deterioration in performance of the vehicle.DOCUMENT IN RELATED ART

[0005] Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2022-0060759 (May 12, 2022)DISCLOSURETechnical Problem

[0006] The present disclosure is proposed to solve these problems and aims to provide a coolant module in which a coolant transfer flow path connected from a reservoir tank to a valve is positioned below a reservoir tank, thereby minimizing a layout.

[0007] The present disclosure also aims to provide a coolant module in which a coolant outlet port of a reservoir tank is positioned in a central portion of the reservoir tank, such that a coolant is smoothly supplied even under an inclined condition of the coolant.Technical Solution

[0008] The present disclosure relates to a coolant module including: a reservoir tank configured to store a coolant; and a valve configured to communicate with the reservoir tank so that the coolant discharged from the reservoir tank is introduced into the valve, the valve being configured to adjust a flow of the introduced coolant, in which the reservoir tank includes: a tank body configured to store the coolant; and a coolant outlet port formed in a bottom surface of the tank body, in which the valve includes: a valve housing; and a valve body configured to adjust the flow of the coolant while rotating in the valve housing, and in which a coolant inlet port, into which the coolant is introduced, is formed in an upper surface of the valve housing, and the coolant outlet port and the coolant inlet port are connected.

[0009] One chamber may be formed in the tank body, the coolant outlet port may be formed as one coolant outlet port formed in the bottom surface of the tank body, and the coolant inlet port may be formed as one coolant inlet port formed in the upper surface of the valve housing.

[0010] The coolant outlet port may be formed in a central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body, and the coolant inlet port may be formed in a central portion of the upper surface of the valve housing.

[0011] When a side of the valve housing, which is exposed to the outside, is referred to as a housing outer side and a side of the valve housing, which surrounds the valve body, is referred to as a housing inner side, a transfer flow path, through which the coolant moves, may be formed between the housing outer side and the housing inner side.

[0012] At least one port may be formed at the housing inner side and correspond to and communicate with the valve body, and the transfer flow path may extend from the coolant inlet port to the port of the housing inner side.

[0013] The housing inner side may be formed to have a cylinder structure, and the port may be formed in a circumferential direction of the housing inner side.

[0014] The transfer flow path may include first and second flow paths, the first flow path may extend from the coolant inlet port along an upper surface of the housing inner side, and the second flow path may be formed to be switched to a ‘U’ direction from the first flow path and connected to the port.

[0015] An interior of the tank body may be divided into a first chamber and a second chamber, a first coolant outlet port, through which the coolant stored in the first chamber is discharged, and a second coolant outlet port, through which the coolant stored in the second chamber is discharged, may be formed in the bottom surface of the tank body, and a first coolant inlet port, which is connected to the first coolant outlet port, and a second coolant inlet port, which is connected to the second coolant outlet port, may be formed in the upper surface of the valve housing.

[0016] The first coolant outlet port and the second coolant outlet port may be formed adjacent to a central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body, the first coolant outlet port may be formed to be spaced apart from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body toward one side, and the second coolant outlet port may be formed to be spaced apart from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body toward the other side.

[0017] When a side of the valve housing, which is exposed to the outside, is referred to as a housing outer side and a side of the valve housing, which surrounds the valve body, is referred to as a housing inner side, a first coolant transfer flow path, through which the coolant discharged from the first chamber flows, and a second coolant transfer flow path, through which the coolant discharged from the second chamber flows, may be formed between the housing outer side and the housing inner side.

[0018] At least two ports may be formed at the housing inner side and correspond to and communicate with the valve body, the first coolant transfer flow path may extend from the first coolant inlet port to a first port of the housing inner side, and the second coolant transfer flow path may extend from the second coolant inlet port to a second port of the housing inner side.

[0019] The housing inner side may be formed to have a cylinder structure, and the first and second ports may be formed in a circumferential direction of the housing inner side.

[0020] The first coolant transfer flow path may include a first-first flow path and a first-second flow path, the first-first flow path may be formed from the first coolant inlet port along an upper surface of the housing inner side, the first-second flow path may be formed to be switched to a ‘U’ direction from the first-first flow path and connected to the first port, the second coolant transfer flow path may include a second-first flow path and a second-second flow path, the second-first flow path may be formed from the second coolant inlet port along the upper surface of the housing inner side, and the second-second flow path may be formed to be switched to a ‘U’ direction from the second-first flow path and connected to the second port.

[0021] The coolant module may further include: at least one water pump connected to the valve.

[0022] A coolant controller may be disposed on an outer lower surface of the valve housing.Advantageous Effects

[0023] According to the present disclosure, the coolant transfer flow path connected from the reservoir tank to the valve may be positioned below the reservoir tank, thereby minimizing the layout of the coolant module.

[0024] In addition, the coolant may be smoothly supplied even under the inclined condition of the coolant, thereby enabling the vehicle to stably travel without a deterioration in performance of the vehicle even under various traveling conditions.DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a coolant module to which a reservoir tank and a valve are coupled in the related art.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a case in which the coolant module in the related art is placed under an inclined condition.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a front view of a coolant module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a state in which a reservoir tank and a valve according to the embodiment of the present disclosure are disassembled.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a coolant transfer flow path of a valve housing according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a detailed view illustrating the coolant transfer flow path of the valve housing according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the reservoir tank according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a case in which the coolant module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is placed under an inclined condition.

[0033] FIG. 9 is a front view of a coolant module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a direction in which a reservoir tank and a valve according to another embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled.

[0035] FIG. 11 is a detailed view illustrating a coolant transfer flow path of a valve housing according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.MODE FOR INVENTION

[0036] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating a coolant module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the coolant module 10 may broadly include a reservoir tank 100 and a valve 200 and may further include a water pump 300 and a coolant controller 400.

[0038] First, the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 is a container configured to store a coolant and includes a tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and a coolant outlet port 120 through which the coolant is discharged. The tank body 110 is a component corresponding to an outer peripheral housing, and an internal space of the tank body 110 has a hollow structure, such that the coolant may be accommodated in the corresponding internal space. The tank body 110 may be formed to have one or more storage spaces, and a member, such as an inner partition wall, may be provided to divide the storage space.

[0039] The coolant outlet port 120 is a means for discharging the coolant accommodated in the tank body 110. The coolant outlet port 120 may be formed in a bottom surface of the tank body 110 and penetrate the tank body 110. The coolant outlet port 120 communicates with a coolant inlet port 222 of a valve housing 220 to be described below. The coolant discharged through the coolant outlet port 120 is introduced into the valve 200 through the coolant inlet port 222 of the valve housing.

[0040] Next, the valve 200 will be described. The valve 200 may be positioned below the reservoir tank 100 and adjust a flow direction of the coolant. When the coolant is discharged from the coolant outlet port 120 of the reservoir tank 100 and introduced into the valve 200, the flow direction may be adjusted by the valve 200.

[0041] The valve may be configured as a multidirectional valve, such as a four-way valve or a six-way valve. The valve 200 may be adjusted by a drive device, such as an actuator, and adjust a flow of the coolant introduced into the valve 200. The drive device, such as the actuator, may operate the valve 200 in response to a control signal of the coolant controller 400.

[0042] Next, the water pump 300 will be described. The water pump 300 may be configured to be connected to a hole structure formed at an outer side of the valve housing 220 to be described below. The water pump 300 circulates the coolant by applying pressure to the coolant. The coolant may be circulated by at least one water pump. For example, in case that two water pumps 301 and 302 are used, the two water pumps 301 and 302 may communicate with two opposite side ports, which face each other among inlet and outlet ports of the valve housing 220. The first water pump 301 may circulate the coolant in the first direction, and the second water pump 302 may circulate the coolant in the second direction. However, this is provided for illustrative purposes only. One or more water pumps 300, 301, and 302 may communicate with the ports of the valve housing 220 in various directions.

[0043] Next, the coolant controller 400 will be described. The coolant controller 400 may control a motion of the valve 200 by sending a driving signal to the drive device such as the actuator. In addition, the coolant controller 400 may optimize a coolant module system by controlling operations of the water pump 300 and other components.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a state in which the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 of the coolant module 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure are disassembled.

[0045] First, a coupling direction B in which the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 are coupled will be described, and a layout A of a lateral side of the valve 200 required to mount the coolant module will be described. According to FIG. 1, in the related art, a pipe needs to be formed in a lateral direction B′, which is a direction identical to a direction in which a port of a valve is formed, in order to introduce a coolant into the valve. Therefore, the reservoir tank 100 may be coupled to the valve 2 in the lateral direction B′ of the valve 2. That is, a layout A′, which is a predetermined space, is required to be provided at a lateral side of the valve 2 in order to mount the coolant module in the vehicle.

[0046] In contrast, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure in FIG. 4, the valve 200 is positioned below the reservoir tank 100, the coolant outlet port 120 of the reservoir tank is formed in a lower surface of the tank body, and the coolant inlet port 222 configured to introduce the coolant into the valve is formed in an upper surface of the valve housing 220, such that the reservoir tank 100 may be coupled to the valve 200 in an upward / downward direction B.

[0047] That is, in the related art, the additional layout A′ is required because of the pipe formed in the lateral direction of the valve 2. In contrast, the embodiment of the present disclosure does not require a space required because of the pipe connected to the lateral side of the valve 200, such that the coolant module 10, in which the layout A of the lateral side of the valve is minimized, may be provided.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a state in which the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 of the coolant module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled.

[0049] First, the valve 200 will be described. The valve 200 includes a valve body 210 and the valve housing 220. The valve body 210 may be configured to be rotatable inside the valve housing 220, and the valve body 210 may be rotated by the drive device such as the actuator.

[0050] A side of the valve housing 220, which is exposed to the outside, is referred to as a housing outer side 221, a side of the valve housing 220, which surrounds the valve body 210, is referred to as a housing inner side 224, and a transfer flow path 227, through which the coolant moves, may be formed between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224.

[0051] At least one hole structure may be formed at the housing outer side 221 and communicate with other components, i.e., the reservoir tank 100, the water pump 300, a chiller, and the like that constitute the coolant module 10. One of the hole structures may be the coolant inlet port 222 that may be formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220.

[0052] The coolant inlet port 222 may be configured as a pipe structure extending by a predetermined length from the hole structure. The coolant inlet port 222 communicates with the coolant outlet port 120 of the reservoir tank 100 and introduces the coolant, which is discharged from the coolant outlet port 120, into the valve housing 220.

[0053] The housing inner side 224 may have a hollow shape and accommodate the valve body 210 so that the valve housing 220 may communicate with the valve body 210. At least one port 225 may be formed at the housing inner side 224 and correspond to and communicate with the valve body 210. For example, the four-way valve may have four ports corresponding to the valve body 210, and the six-way valve may have six ports corresponding to the valve body 210.

[0054] The coolant, which is introduced into the coolant inlet port 222 formed in the upper surface of the valve housing, passes through the port 225 formed at the housing inner side 224, and the coolant finally passes through the hole of the valve body 210, which communicates with the corresponding port 225, and is introduced into the valve body 210. The housing inner side 224 may be formed to have a cylinder structure, and the port may be formed in a circumferential direction of the cylinder structure of the housing inner side 224.

[0055] The coolant transfer flow path 227, through which the coolant flows, may be formed between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224. The coolant transfer flow path 227 may extend from the coolant inlet port 222 to the port 225 formed at the housing inner side 224.

[0056] FIG. 6 is a detailed view illustrating the coolant transfer flow path 227 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] The transfer flow path 227 includes a first flow path 228 and a second flow path 229. The first flow path 228 is a flow path extending from the coolant inlet port 222 along an upper surface of the housing inner side 224. The second flow path 229 is a flow path configured to switch the flow direction of the coolant to a ‘U’ direction at a point, at which the upper surface of the valve housing inner side 224 ends, and extending to the port 225.

[0058] As described above, the coolant transfer flow path 227 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224, and the flow path connected along the upper surface of the housing inner side 224 may be used, thereby minimizing the layout of the coolant module.

[0059] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the reservoir tank 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] First, a structure of the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 includes the tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and the coolant outlet port 120 through which the coolant is discharged. The coolant outlet port 120 may be formed in the bottom surface of the tank body 110 and penetrate the tank body 110. At least a part of the coolant outlet port 120 may have a pipe structure extending therefrom to a predetermined degree. The coolant outlet port 120 may be formed in a central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110.

[0061] With reference to FIG. 1, a coolant outlet port of a reservoir tank 1 in the related art is formed to be biased toward one side of a bottom surface of the reservoir tank 1. FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an inclined condition of a coolant in the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the coolant module in the related art has a problem in that a level C′ of the coolant cannot reach a height of a coolant outlet port under the inclined condition of the coolant (e.g., when a vehicle travels on an inclined road, rapidly accelerates, or rapidly decelerates), and as a result, the coolant is not smoothly circulated.

[0062] However, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the coolant outlet port 120 may be formed in the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110 (see FIG. 8). Therefore, in the coolant module 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the coolant outlet port 120 is formed in the central portion of the reservoir tank, such that a level C of the coolant may sufficiently reach a height of the coolant outlet port 120 even under the inclined condition of the coolant, and the coolant may be smoothly circulated even under the inclined condition.

[0063] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrated as a front view according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the coolant module 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may broadly include the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 and further include the water pump 300 and the coolant controller 400.

[0064] First, the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 is a container configured to store the coolant and includes the tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and first and second coolant outlet ports 120a and 120b through which the coolant is discharged. The tank body 110 is a component corresponding to the outer peripheral housing, and the internal space of the tank body 110 has a hollow structure, such that the coolant may be accommodated in the corresponding space. The tank body 110 may be configured such that a storage space is divided into a first chamber 110a and a second chamber 110b by a member such as an inner partition wall.

[0065] The first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may each be provided as a pipe structure formed on the bottom surface of the tank body 110, penetrating the tank body 110, and extending to a predetermined degree from the penetration point. The first coolant outlet port and the second coolant outlet port respectively communicate with a first coolant inlet port 222a and a second coolant inlet port 222b of the valve housing 220, and the coolant, which is discharged through the first coolant outlet port and the second coolant outlet port, is introduced into the valve 200 through the first coolant inlet port and the second coolant inlet port.

[0066] Hereinafter, the valve 200 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The description of the water pump 300 and the coolant controller 400 is identical to the above-mentioned description according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 of the coolant module 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure are disassembled.

[0068] First, the coupling direction B of the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 will be described.

[0069] According to FIG. 1, the reservoir tank 1 in the related art may be coupled to the valve 2 in the lateral direction B′ of the valve 2, and as a result, the pipe needs to be formed in the lateral direction B′ of the valve. For this reason, the layout A′ is required to be provided at the lateral side of the valve 2 in order to mount the coolant module in the vehicle.

[0070] However, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure in FIG. 10, the valve 200 is positioned below the reservoir tank 100, the first and second coolant outlet ports of the reservoir tank are formed in the lower surface of the tank body, and the first and second coolant inlet ports configured to introduce the coolant into the valve are formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220, such that the reservoir tank 100 may be coupled to the valve 200 in the upward / downward direction B.

[0071] That is, in the related art, the additional layout A′ is required because of the pipe formed in the lateral direction of the valve 2. In contrast, another embodiment of the present disclosure does not require a space required because of the pipe connected to the lateral side of the valve 200, such that the coolant module 10, in which the layout A of the lateral side of the valve 200 is minimized, may be provided, as in the above-mentioned embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] Next, the valve 200 will be described. The valve 200 includes the valve body 210 and the valve housing 220. The valve body 210 may be configured to be rotatable inside the valve housing 220, and the valve body 210 may be rotated by the drive device such as the actuator. As described above, the valve housing 220 may be a housing that surrounds the valve body 210, and the valve housing 220 may include the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224. Coolant transfer flow paths 227a and 227b may be formed between the housing outer side and the housing inner side.

[0073] At least one hole structure may be formed at the valve housing outer side 221 and communicate with other components, i.e., the reservoir tank 100, the water pump 300, the chiller, and the like that constitute the coolant module 10. At least two hole structures may be the first coolant inlet port 222a and the second coolant inlet port 222b that may be formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220. The first coolant inlet port 222a and the second coolant inlet port 222b may each have a hole structure, and at least one of the first coolant inlet port 222a and the second coolant inlet port 222b may have a pipe structure extending therefrom to a predetermined degree. The first coolant inlet port 222a communicates with the first coolant outlet port 120a of the reservoir tank 100 and introduces the coolant, which is discharged from the first coolant outlet port 120a, into the valve housing 220, and the second coolant inlet port 222b communicates with the second coolant outlet port 120b of the reservoir tank 100 and introduces the coolant, which is discharged from the second coolant outlet port 120b, into the valve housing 220.

[0074] The housing inner side 224 may have a hollow shape and surround the valve body 210 so that the valve housing 220 may communicate with the valve body 210. At least two ports 225a and 225b may be formed in the housing inner side 224 and correspond to and communicate with the valve body 210. For example, in the case of the four-way valve, four ports corresponding to the valve body 210 may be formed at the housing inner side 224 of the valve housing 220. In the case of the six-way valve, six ports corresponding to the valve body 210 may be formed at the housing inner side 224 of the valve housing 220. The housing inner side 224 of the valve housing may be formed to have a cylinder structure, and the port may be formed in a circumferential direction of the cylinder structure of the housing inner side 224.

[0075] The coolant, which is introduced into the first coolant inlet port 222a formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220, passes through a first port 225a formed in the housing inner side 224, and the coolant finally passes through a hole of the valve body 210, which communicates with the corresponding port 225a, and is introduced into the valve body 210. The coolant, which is introduced into the second coolant inlet port 222b formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220, passes through a second port 225b formed in the housing inner side 224, and the coolant finally passes through a hole of the valve body 210, which communicates with the corresponding port 225b, and is introduced into the valve body 210. The coolant introduced into the first coolant inlet port and the coolant introduced into the second coolant inlet port may be merged in the valve body 210. The coolants may be discharged through a separate port and circulated through a separate circuit without being merged.

[0076] A first coolant transfer flow path 227a and a second coolant transfer flow path 227b may be formed between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224. The first coolant transfer flow path extends from the first coolant inlet port 222a and is connected to the first port 225a formed in the valve housing inner side 224. The second coolant transfer flow path extends from the second coolant inlet port222b and is connected to the second port 225b formed in the valve housing inner side 224.

[0077] Next, a structure of the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 includes the tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and the first and second coolant outlet ports 120a and 120b through which the coolant is discharged. The body 110 configured to store the coolant may be formed such that the storage space may be divided into the first chamber 110a and the second chamber 110b by means of a member such as an inner partition wall.

[0078] The first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may be formed in the bottom surface of the tank body 110, the first coolant outlet port 120a may discharge the coolant stored in the first chamber 110a, and the second coolant outlet port 120b may discharge the coolant stored in the second chamber 110b. The first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may each have a through-hole structure configured to penetrate the tank body 110, and at least one of the first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may have a pipe structure extending therefrom to a predetermined degree. The first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may be formed to be spaced apart from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110 at a predetermined interval. As illustrated in FIG. 10, when the first coolant outlet port 120a is formed to be biased toward one side from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110, the second coolant outlet port 120b may be formed to be biased toward the other side from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110.

[0079] With reference to FIG. 1, the coolant outlet port of the reservoir tank 1 in the related art is formed to be biased toward one side of the bottom surface of the reservoir tank 1. With reference to FIG. 2, the coolant module in the related art has a problem in that the level C′ of the coolant cannot reach a height of the coolant outlet port under the inclined condition of the coolant (e.g., when the vehicle travels on an inclined road, rapidly accelerates, or rapidly decelerates), and as a result, the coolant is not smoothly circulated.

[0080] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first coolant outlet port and the second coolant outlet port may be formed to be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval and formed adjacent to the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110. That is, as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the level C of the coolant may sufficiently reach heights of the first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b even under the inclined condition of the coolant, such that the coolant may be smoothly circulated even under the inclined condition.

[0081] FIG. 11 is a detailed view illustrating the first coolant transfer flow path 227a and the second coolant transfer flow path according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The first coolant transfer flow path 227a includes a first-first flow path 228a and a first-second flow path 229a. The first-first flow path 228a is a flow path extending from the first coolant inlet port 222a along the upper surface of the housing inner side 224. The first-second flow path 229a is a flow path configured to switch the flow direction of the coolant to a ‘U’ direction from the point, at which the upper surface of the valve housing inner side 224 ends, and extending to the port 225a of the housing inner side.

[0082] The second coolant transfer flow path 227b includes a second-first flow path 228b and a second-second flow path 229b. The second-first flow path 228b is a flow path extending from the second coolant inlet port 222b along the upper surface of the housing inner side 224. The second-second flow path 229b is a flow path configured to switch the flow direction of the coolant to a ‘U’ direction from the point, at which the upper surface of the housing inner side 224 ends, and extending to the port 225b of the housing inner side.

[0083] As described above, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first and second coolant transfer flow paths 227a and 227b may be provided between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224, and the flow path connected along the upper surface of the housing inner side 224 may be used, thereby minimizing the layout of the coolant module.

[0084] While the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure may be carried out in any other specific form without changing the technical spirit or an essential feature thereof. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and do not limit the present disclosure.DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS10: Coolant module

[0086] 100: Reservoir tank

[0087] 110: Tank body

[0088] 110a: First chamber

[0089] 110b: Second chamber

[0090] 120: Coolant outlet port

[0091] 200: Valve

[0092] 210: Valve body

[0093] 220: Valve housing

[0094] 221: Housing outer side

[0095] 222: Coolant inlet port

[0096] 224: Housing inner side

[0097] 225: Port

[0098] 225a: First port

[0099] 225b: Second port

[0100] 227: Transfer flow path

[0101] 228: First flow path

[0102] 228a: First-first flow path

[0103] 228b: Second-first flow path

[0104] 229: Second flow path

[0105] 229a: First-second flow path

[0106] 229b: Second-second flow path

[0107] 300, 310, 320: Water pump

[0108] 400: Coolant controller

[0109] A: Layout

[0110] B: Coupling direction

[0111] C: Inclined section coolant level

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0036]Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037]FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating a coolant module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the coolant module 10 may broadly include a reservoir tank 100 and a valve 200 and may further include a water pump 300 and a coolant controller 400.

[0038]First, the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 is a container configured to store a coolant and includes a tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and a coolant outlet port 120 through which the coolant is discharged. The tank body 110 is a component corresponding to an outer peripheral housing, and an internal space of the tank body 110 has a hollow structure, such that the coolant may be accommodated in the corresponding internal space. The tank body 110 may be formed to have one or more storage spaces, and a member, such as an inner partition wall, may be provided ...

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a coolant module for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a coolant module in which a coolant transfer flow path connected from a reservoir tank to a valve is positioned below the reservoir tank, thereby minimizing a layout.BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Recently, there has been a need to develop environmental-friendly vehicles, which may be substituted for internal combustion engine vehicles, in order to cope with an increase in environmental pollution. The environmentally-friendly vehicle mainly includes a battery, a motor, and other electrical components, and a large amount of heat is generated from the above-mentioned components. The generated heat needs to be effectively removed to ensure performance of the vehicle.

[0003] A coolant module configured to circulate a coolant may be used to effectively recover the heat generated from the electrical components. However, the coolant module needs to be provided with a reservoir tank, a valve, and a water pump, which makes it difficult to mount the coolant module in a narrow space and causes a constraint on a layout.

[0004] In addition, in case that the coolant is placed under an inclined condition (e.g., in case that the vehicle travels on an inclined road, rapidly accelerates, or rapidly decelerates), the coolant cannot be smoothly supplied because of an arrangement position of a coolant outlet port of the reservoir tank, and the heat generated from the electrical components cannot be recovered to a desired degree, which causes a problem of a deterioration in performance of the vehicle.DOCUMENT IN RELATED ART

[0005] Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2022-0060759 (May 12, 2022)DISCLOSURETechnical Problem

[0006] The present disclosure is proposed to solve these problems and aims to provide a coolant module in which a coolant transfer flow path connected from a reservoir tank to a valve is positioned below a reservoir tank, thereby minimizing a layout.

[0007] The present disclosure also aims to provide a coolant module in which a coolant outlet port of a reservoir tank is positioned in a central portion of the reservoir tank, such that a coolant is smoothly supplied even under an inclined condition of the coolant.Technical Solution

[0008] The present disclosure relates to a coolant module including: a reservoir tank configured to store a coolant; and a valve configured to communicate with the reservoir tank so that the coolant discharged from the reservoir tank is introduced into the valve, the valve being configured to adjust a flow of the introduced coolant, in which the reservoir tank includes: a tank body configured to store the coolant; and a coolant outlet port formed in a bottom surface of the tank body, in which the valve includes: a valve housing; and a valve body configured to adjust the flow of the coolant while rotating in the valve housing, and in which a coolant inlet port, into which the coolant is introduced, is formed in an upper surface of the valve housing, and the coolant outlet port and the coolant inlet port are connected.

[0009] One chamber may be formed in the tank body, the coolant outlet port may be formed as one coolant outlet port formed in the bottom surface of the tank body, and the coolant inlet port may be formed as one coolant inlet port formed in the upper surface of the valve housing.

[0010] The coolant outlet port may be formed in a central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body, and the coolant inlet port may be formed in a central portion of the upper surface of the valve housing.

[0011] When a side of the valve housing, which is exposed to the outside, is referred to as a housing outer side and a side of the valve housing, which surrounds the valve body, is referred to as a housing inner side, a transfer flow path, through which the coolant moves, may be formed between the housing outer side and the housing inner side.

[0012] At least one port may be formed at the housing inner side and correspond to and communicate with the valve body, and the transfer flow path may extend from the coolant inlet port to the port of the housing inner side.

[0013] The housing inner side may be formed to have a cylinder structure, and the port may be formed in a circumferential direction of the housing inner side.

[0014] The transfer flow path may include first and second flow paths, the first flow path may extend from the coolant inlet port along an upper surface of the housing inner side, and the second flow path may be formed to be switched to a ‘U’ direction from the first flow path and connected to the port.

[0015] An interior of the tank body may be divided into a first chamber and a second chamber, a first coolant outlet port, through which the coolant stored in the first chamber is discharged, and a second coolant outlet port, through which the coolant stored in the second chamber is discharged, may be formed in the bottom surface of the tank body, and a first coolant inlet port, which is connected to the first coolant outlet port, and a second coolant inlet port, which is connected to the second coolant outlet port, may be formed in the upper surface of the valve housing.

[0016] The first coolant outlet port and the second coolant outlet port may be formed adjacent to a central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body, the first coolant outlet port may be formed to be spaced apart from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body toward one side, and the second coolant outlet port may be formed to be spaced apart from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body toward the other side.

[0017] When a side of the valve housing, which is exposed to the outside, is referred to as a housing outer side and a side of the valve housing, which surrounds the valve body, is referred to as a housing inner side, a first coolant transfer flow path, through which the coolant discharged from the first chamber flows, and a second coolant transfer flow path, through which the coolant discharged from the second chamber flows, may be formed between the housing outer side and the housing inner side.

[0018] At least two ports may be formed at the housing inner side and correspond to and communicate with the valve body, the first coolant transfer flow path may extend from the first coolant inlet port to a first port of the housing inner side, and the second coolant transfer flow path may extend from the second coolant inlet port to a second port of the housing inner side.

[0019] The housing inner side may be formed to have a cylinder structure, and the first and second ports may be formed in a circumferential direction of the housing inner side.

[0020] The first coolant transfer flow path may include a first-first flow path and a first-second flow path, the first-first flow path may be formed from the first coolant inlet port along an upper surface of the housing inner side, the first-second flow path may be formed to be switched to a ‘U’ direction from the first-first flow path and connected to the first port, the second coolant transfer flow path may include a second-first flow path and a second-second flow path, the second-first flow path may be formed from the second coolant inlet port along the upper surface of the housing inner side, and the second-second flow path may be formed to be switched to a ‘U’ direction from the second-first flow path and connected to the second port.

[0021] The coolant module may further include: at least one water pump connected to the valve.

[0022] A coolant controller may be disposed on an outer lower surface of the valve housing.Advantageous Effects

[0023] According to the present disclosure, the coolant transfer flow path connected from the reservoir tank to the valve may be positioned below the reservoir tank, thereby minimizing the layout of the coolant module.

[0024] In addition, the coolant may be smoothly supplied even under the inclined condition of the coolant, thereby enabling the vehicle to stably travel without a deterioration in performance of the vehicle even under various traveling conditions.DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a coolant module to which a reservoir tank and a valve are coupled in the related art.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a case in which the coolant module in the related art is placed under an inclined condition.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a front view of a coolant module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a state in which a reservoir tank and a valve according to the embodiment of the present disclosure are disassembled.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a coolant transfer flow path of a valve housing according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a detailed view illustrating the coolant transfer flow path of the valve housing according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the reservoir tank according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a case in which the coolant module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is placed under an inclined condition.

[0033] FIG. 9 is a front view of a coolant module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a direction in which a reservoir tank and a valve according to another embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled.

[0035] FIG. 11 is a detailed view illustrating a coolant transfer flow path of a valve housing according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.MODE FOR INVENTION

[0036] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating a coolant module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the coolant module 10 may broadly include a reservoir tank 100 and a valve 200 and may further include a water pump 300 and a coolant controller 400.

[0038] First, the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 is a container configured to store a coolant and includes a tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and a coolant outlet port 120 through which the coolant is discharged. The tank body 110 is a component corresponding to an outer peripheral housing, and an internal space of the tank body 110 has a hollow structure, such that the coolant may be accommodated in the corresponding internal space. The tank body 110 may be formed to have one or more storage spaces, and a member, such as an inner partition wall, may be provided to divide the storage space.

[0039] The coolant outlet port 120 is a means for discharging the coolant accommodated in the tank body 110. The coolant outlet port 120 may be formed in a bottom surface of the tank body 110 and penetrate the tank body 110. The coolant outlet port 120 communicates with a coolant inlet port 222 of a valve housing 220 to be described below. The coolant discharged through the coolant outlet port 120 is introduced into the valve 200 through the coolant inlet port 222 of the valve housing.

[0040] Next, the valve 200 will be described. The valve 200 may be positioned below the reservoir tank 100 and adjust a flow direction of the coolant. When the coolant is discharged from the coolant outlet port 120 of the reservoir tank 100 and introduced into the valve 200, the flow direction may be adjusted by the valve 200.

[0041] The valve may be configured as a multidirectional valve, such as a four-way valve or a six-way valve. The valve 200 may be adjusted by a drive device, such as an actuator, and adjust a flow of the coolant introduced into the valve 200. The drive device, such as the actuator, may operate the valve 200 in response to a control signal of the coolant controller 400.

[0042] Next, the water pump 300 will be described. The water pump 300 may be configured to be connected to a hole structure formed at an outer side of the valve housing 220 to be described below. The water pump 300 circulates the coolant by applying pressure to the coolant. The coolant may be circulated by at least one water pump. For example, in case that two water pumps 301 and 302 are used, the two water pumps 301 and 302 may communicate with two opposite side ports, which face each other among inlet and outlet ports of the valve housing 220. The first water pump 301 may circulate the coolant in the first direction, and the second water pump 302 may circulate the coolant in the second direction. However, this is provided for illustrative purposes only. One or more water pumps 300, 301, and 302 may communicate with the ports of the valve housing 220 in various directions.

[0043] Next, the coolant controller 400 will be described. The coolant controller 400 may control a motion of the valve 200 by sending a driving signal to the drive device such as the actuator. In addition, the coolant controller 400 may optimize a coolant module system by controlling operations of the water pump 300 and other components.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a state in which the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 of the coolant module 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure are disassembled.

[0045] First, a coupling direction B in which the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 are coupled will be described, and a layout A of a lateral side of the valve 200 required to mount the coolant module will be described. According to FIG. 1, in the related art, a pipe needs to be formed in a lateral direction B′, which is a direction identical to a direction in which a port of a valve is formed, in order to introduce a coolant into the valve. Therefore, the reservoir tank 100 may be coupled to the valve 2 in the lateral direction B′ of the valve 2. That is, a layout A′, which is a predetermined space, is required to be provided at a lateral side of the valve 2 in order to mount the coolant module in the vehicle.

[0046] In contrast, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure in FIG. 4, the valve 200 is positioned below the reservoir tank 100, the coolant outlet port 120 of the reservoir tank is formed in a lower surface of the tank body, and the coolant inlet port 222 configured to introduce the coolant into the valve is formed in an upper surface of the valve housing 220, such that the reservoir tank 100 may be coupled to the valve 200 in an upward / downward direction B.

[0047] That is, in the related art, the additional layout A′ is required because of the pipe formed in the lateral direction of the valve 2. In contrast, the embodiment of the present disclosure does not require a space required because of the pipe connected to the lateral side of the valve 200, such that the coolant module 10, in which the layout A of the lateral side of the valve is minimized, may be provided.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional right side view illustrating a state in which the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 of the coolant module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure are coupled.

[0049] First, the valve 200 will be described. The valve 200 includes a valve body 210 and the valve housing 220. The valve body 210 may be configured to be rotatable inside the valve housing 220, and the valve body 210 may be rotated by the drive device such as the actuator.

[0050] A side of the valve housing 220, which is exposed to the outside, is referred to as a housing outer side 221, a side of the valve housing 220, which surrounds the valve body 210, is referred to as a housing inner side 224, and a transfer flow path 227, through which the coolant moves, may be formed between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224.

[0051] At least one hole structure may be formed at the housing outer side 221 and communicate with other components, i.e., the reservoir tank 100, the water pump 300, a chiller, and the like that constitute the coolant module 10. One of the hole structures may be the coolant inlet port 222 that may be formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220.

[0052] The coolant inlet port 222 may be configured as a pipe structure extending by a predetermined length from the hole structure. The coolant inlet port 222 communicates with the coolant outlet port 120 of the reservoir tank 100 and introduces the coolant, which is discharged from the coolant outlet port 120, into the valve housing 220.

[0053] The housing inner side 224 may have a hollow shape and accommodate the valve body 210 so that the valve housing 220 may communicate with the valve body 210. At least one port 225 may be formed at the housing inner side 224 and correspond to and communicate with the valve body 210. For example, the four-way valve may have four ports corresponding to the valve body 210, and the six-way valve may have six ports corresponding to the valve body 210.

[0054] The coolant, which is introduced into the coolant inlet port 222 formed in the upper surface of the valve housing, passes through the port 225 formed at the housing inner side 224, and the coolant finally passes through the hole of the valve body 210, which communicates with the corresponding port 225, and is introduced into the valve body 210. The housing inner side 224 may be formed to have a cylinder structure, and the port may be formed in a circumferential direction of the cylinder structure of the housing inner side 224.

[0055] The coolant transfer flow path 227, through which the coolant flows, may be formed between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224. The coolant transfer flow path 227 may extend from the coolant inlet port 222 to the port 225 formed at the housing inner side 224.

[0056] FIG. 6 is a detailed view illustrating the coolant transfer flow path 227 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] The transfer flow path 227 includes a first flow path 228 and a second flow path 229. The first flow path 228 is a flow path extending from the coolant inlet port 222 along an upper surface of the housing inner side 224. The second flow path 229 is a flow path configured to switch the flow direction of the coolant to a ‘U’ direction at a point, at which the upper surface of the valve housing inner side 224 ends, and extending to the port 225.

[0058] As described above, the coolant transfer flow path 227 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be provided between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224, and the flow path connected along the upper surface of the housing inner side 224 may be used, thereby minimizing the layout of the coolant module.

[0059] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the reservoir tank 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0060] First, a structure of the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 includes the tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and the coolant outlet port 120 through which the coolant is discharged. The coolant outlet port 120 may be formed in the bottom surface of the tank body 110 and penetrate the tank body 110. At least a part of the coolant outlet port 120 may have a pipe structure extending therefrom to a predetermined degree. The coolant outlet port 120 may be formed in a central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110.

[0061] With reference to FIG. 1, a coolant outlet port of a reservoir tank 1 in the related art is formed to be biased toward one side of a bottom surface of the reservoir tank 1. FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an inclined condition of a coolant in the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the coolant module in the related art has a problem in that a level C′ of the coolant cannot reach a height of a coolant outlet port under the inclined condition of the coolant (e.g., when a vehicle travels on an inclined road, rapidly accelerates, or rapidly decelerates), and as a result, the coolant is not smoothly circulated.

[0062] However, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the coolant outlet port 120 may be formed in the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110 (see FIG. 8). Therefore, in the coolant module 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the coolant outlet port 120 is formed in the central portion of the reservoir tank, such that a level C of the coolant may sufficiently reach a height of the coolant outlet port 120 even under the inclined condition of the coolant, and the coolant may be smoothly circulated even under the inclined condition.

[0063] FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrated as a front view according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the coolant module 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may broadly include the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 and further include the water pump 300 and the coolant controller 400.

[0064] First, the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 is a container configured to store the coolant and includes the tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and first and second coolant outlet ports 120a and 120b through which the coolant is discharged. The tank body 110 is a component corresponding to the outer peripheral housing, and the internal space of the tank body 110 has a hollow structure, such that the coolant may be accommodated in the corresponding space. The tank body 110 may be configured such that a storage space is divided into a first chamber 110a and a second chamber 110b by a member such as an inner partition wall.

[0065] The first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may each be provided as a pipe structure formed on the bottom surface of the tank body 110, penetrating the tank body 110, and extending to a predetermined degree from the penetration point. The first coolant outlet port and the second coolant outlet port respectively communicate with a first coolant inlet port 222a and a second coolant inlet port 222b of the valve housing 220, and the coolant, which is discharged through the first coolant outlet port and the second coolant outlet port, is introduced into the valve 200 through the first coolant inlet port and the second coolant inlet port.

[0066] Hereinafter, the valve 200 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The description of the water pump 300 and the coolant controller 400 is identical to the above-mentioned description according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 of the coolant module 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure are disassembled.

[0068] First, the coupling direction B of the reservoir tank 100 and the valve 200 will be described.

[0069] According to FIG. 1, the reservoir tank 1 in the related art may be coupled to the valve 2 in the lateral direction B′ of the valve 2, and as a result, the pipe needs to be formed in the lateral direction B′ of the valve. For this reason, the layout A′ is required to be provided at the lateral side of the valve 2 in order to mount the coolant module in the vehicle.

[0070] However, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure in FIG. 10, the valve 200 is positioned below the reservoir tank 100, the first and second coolant outlet ports of the reservoir tank are formed in the lower surface of the tank body, and the first and second coolant inlet ports configured to introduce the coolant into the valve are formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220, such that the reservoir tank 100 may be coupled to the valve 200 in the upward / downward direction B.

[0071] That is, in the related art, the additional layout A′ is required because of the pipe formed in the lateral direction of the valve 2. In contrast, another embodiment of the present disclosure does not require a space required because of the pipe connected to the lateral side of the valve 200, such that the coolant module 10, in which the layout A of the lateral side of the valve 200 is minimized, may be provided, as in the above-mentioned embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] Next, the valve 200 will be described. The valve 200 includes the valve body 210 and the valve housing 220. The valve body 210 may be configured to be rotatable inside the valve housing 220, and the valve body 210 may be rotated by the drive device such as the actuator. As described above, the valve housing 220 may be a housing that surrounds the valve body 210, and the valve housing 220 may include the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224. Coolant transfer flow paths 227a and 227b may be formed between the housing outer side and the housing inner side.

[0073] At least one hole structure may be formed at the valve housing outer side 221 and communicate with other components, i.e., the reservoir tank 100, the water pump 300, the chiller, and the like that constitute the coolant module 10. At least two hole structures may be the first coolant inlet port 222a and the second coolant inlet port 222b that may be formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220. The first coolant inlet port 222a and the second coolant inlet port 222b may each have a hole structure, and at least one of the first coolant inlet port 222a and the second coolant inlet port 222b may have a pipe structure extending therefrom to a predetermined degree. The first coolant inlet port 222a communicates with the first coolant outlet port 120a of the reservoir tank 100 and introduces the coolant, which is discharged from the first coolant outlet port 120a, into the valve housing 220, and the second coolant inlet port 222b communicates with the second coolant outlet port 120b of the reservoir tank 100 and introduces the coolant, which is discharged from the second coolant outlet port 120b, into the valve housing 220.

[0074] The housing inner side 224 may have a hollow shape and surround the valve body 210 so that the valve housing 220 may communicate with the valve body 210. At least two ports 225a and 225b may be formed in the housing inner side 224 and correspond to and communicate with the valve body 210. For example, in the case of the four-way valve, four ports corresponding to the valve body 210 may be formed at the housing inner side 224 of the valve housing 220. In the case of the six-way valve, six ports corresponding to the valve body 210 may be formed at the housing inner side 224 of the valve housing 220. The housing inner side 224 of the valve housing may be formed to have a cylinder structure, and the port may be formed in a circumferential direction of the cylinder structure of the housing inner side 224.

[0075] The coolant, which is introduced into the first coolant inlet port 222a formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220, passes through a first port 225a formed in the housing inner side 224, and the coolant finally passes through a hole of the valve body 210, which communicates with the corresponding port 225a, and is introduced into the valve body 210. The coolant, which is introduced into the second coolant inlet port 222b formed in the upper surface of the valve housing 220, passes through a second port 225b formed in the housing inner side 224, and the coolant finally passes through a hole of the valve body 210, which communicates with the corresponding port 225b, and is introduced into the valve body 210. The coolant introduced into the first coolant inlet port and the coolant introduced into the second coolant inlet port may be merged in the valve body 210. The coolants may be discharged through a separate port and circulated through a separate circuit without being merged.

[0076] A first coolant transfer flow path 227a and a second coolant transfer flow path 227b may be formed between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224. The first coolant transfer flow path extends from the first coolant inlet port 222a and is connected to the first port 225a formed in the valve housing inner side 224. The second coolant transfer flow path extends from the second coolant inlet port222b and is connected to the second port 225b formed in the valve housing inner side 224.

[0077] Next, a structure of the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 includes the tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and the first and second coolant outlet ports 120a and 120b through which the coolant is discharged. The body 110 configured to store the coolant may be formed such that the storage space may be divided into the first chamber 110a and the second chamber 110b by means of a member such as an inner partition wall.

[0078] The first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may be formed in the bottom surface of the tank body 110, the first coolant outlet port 120a may discharge the coolant stored in the first chamber 110a, and the second coolant outlet port 120b may discharge the coolant stored in the second chamber 110b. The first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may each have a through-hole structure configured to penetrate the tank body 110, and at least one of the first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may have a pipe structure extending therefrom to a predetermined degree. The first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b may be formed to be spaced apart from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110 at a predetermined interval. As illustrated in FIG. 10, when the first coolant outlet port 120a is formed to be biased toward one side from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110, the second coolant outlet port 120b may be formed to be biased toward the other side from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110.

[0079] With reference to FIG. 1, the coolant outlet port of the reservoir tank 1 in the related art is formed to be biased toward one side of the bottom surface of the reservoir tank 1. With reference to FIG. 2, the coolant module in the related art has a problem in that the level C′ of the coolant cannot reach a height of the coolant outlet port under the inclined condition of the coolant (e.g., when the vehicle travels on an inclined road, rapidly accelerates, or rapidly decelerates), and as a result, the coolant is not smoothly circulated.

[0080] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first coolant outlet port and the second coolant outlet port may be formed to be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval and formed adjacent to the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body 110. That is, as in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the level C of the coolant may sufficiently reach heights of the first coolant outlet port 120a and the second coolant outlet port 120b even under the inclined condition of the coolant, such that the coolant may be smoothly circulated even under the inclined condition.

[0081] FIG. 11 is a detailed view illustrating the first coolant transfer flow path 227a and the second coolant transfer flow path according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The first coolant transfer flow path 227a includes a first-first flow path 228a and a first-second flow path 229a. The first-first flow path 228a is a flow path extending from the first coolant inlet port 222a along the upper surface of the housing inner side 224. The first-second flow path 229a is a flow path configured to switch the flow direction of the coolant to a ‘U’ direction from the point, at which the upper surface of the valve housing inner side 224 ends, and extending to the port 225a of the housing inner side.

[0082] The second coolant transfer flow path 227b includes a second-first flow path 228b and a second-second flow path 229b. The second-first flow path 228b is a flow path extending from the second coolant inlet port 222b along the upper surface of the housing inner side 224. The second-second flow path 229b is a flow path configured to switch the flow direction of the coolant to a ‘U’ direction from the point, at which the upper surface of the housing inner side 224 ends, and extending to the port 225b of the housing inner side.

[0083] As described above, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first and second coolant transfer flow paths 227a and 227b may be provided between the housing outer side 221 and the housing inner side 224, and the flow path connected along the upper surface of the housing inner side 224 may be used, thereby minimizing the layout of the coolant module.

[0084] While the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present disclosure may be carried out in any other specific form without changing the technical spirit or an essential feature thereof. Therefore, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and do not limit the present disclosure.DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS10: Coolant module

[0086] 100: Reservoir tank

[0087] 110: Tank body

[0088] 110a: First chamber

[0089] 110b: Second chamber

[0090] 120: Coolant outlet port

[0091] 200: Valve

[0092] 210: Valve body

[0093] 220: Valve housing

[0094] 221: Housing outer side

[0095] 222: Coolant inlet port

[0096] 224: Housing inner side

[0097] 225: Port

[0098] 225a: First port

[0099] 225b: Second port

[0100] 227: Transfer flow path

[0101] 228: First flow path

[0102] 228a: First-first flow path

[0103] 228b: Second-first flow path

[0104] 229: Second flow path

[0105] 229a: First-second flow path

[0106] 229b: Second-second flow path

[0107] 300, 310, 320: Water pump

[0108] 400: Coolant controller

[0109] A: Layout

[0110] B: Coupling direction

[0111] C: Inclined section coolant level

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0036]Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037]FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating a coolant module 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the coolant module 10 may broadly include a reservoir tank 100 and a valve 200 and may further include a water pump 300 and a coolant controller 400.

[0038]First, the reservoir tank 100 will be described. The reservoir tank 100 is a container configured to store a coolant and includes a tank body 110 configured to store the coolant, and a coolant outlet port 120 through which the coolant is discharged. The tank body 110 is a component corresponding to an outer peripheral housing, and an internal space of the tank body 110 has a hollow structure, such that the coolant may be accommodated in the corresponding internal space. The tank body 110 may be formed to have one or more storage spaces, and a member, such as an inner partition wall, may be provided ...

Claims

1. A coolant module comprising:a reservoir tank configured to store a coolant; anda valve configured to communicate with the reservoir tank so that the coolant discharged from the reservoir tank is introduced into the valve, the valve being configured to adjust a flow of the introduced coolant,wherein the reservoir tank comprises:a tank body configured to store the coolant; anda coolant outlet port formed in a bottom surface of the tank body,wherein the valve comprises:a valve housing; anda valve body configured to adjust the flow of the coolant while rotating in the valve housing, andwherein a coolant inlet port, into which the coolant is introduced, is formed in an upper surface of the valve housing, and the coolant outlet port and the coolant inlet port are connected.

2. The coolant module of claim 1, wherein one chamber is formed in the tank body, the coolant outlet port is formed as one coolant outlet port formed in the bottom surface of the tank body, and the coolant inlet port is formed as one coolant inlet port formed in the upper surface of the valve housing.

3. The coolant module of claim 2, wherein the coolant outlet port is formed in a central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body, and the coolant inlet port is formed in a central portion of the upper surface of the valve housing.

4. The coolant module of claim 2, wherein when a side of the valve housing, which is exposed to the outside, is referred to as a housing outer side and a side of the valve housing, which surrounds the valve body, is referred to as a housing inner side, a transfer flow path, through which the coolant moves, is formed between the housing outer side and the housing inner side.

5. The coolant module of claim 4, wherein at least one port is formed at the housing inner side and corresponds to and communicates with the valve body, and the transfer flow path extends from the coolant inlet port to the port of the housing inner side.

6. The coolant module of claim 5, wherein the housing inner side is formed to have a cylinder structure, and the port is formed in a circumferential direction of the housing inner side.

7. The coolant module of claim 6, wherein the transfer flow path comprises first and second flow paths, the first flow path extends from the coolant inlet port along an upper surface of the housing inner side, and the second flow path is formed to be switched to a ‘U’ direction from the first flow path and connected to the port.

8. The coolant module of claim 1, wherein an interior of the tank body is divided into a first chamber and a second chamber,wherein a first coolant outlet port, through which the coolant stored in the first chamber is discharged, and a second coolant outlet port, through which the coolant stored in the second chamber is discharged, are formed in the bottom surface of the tank body, andwherein a first coolant inlet port, which is connected to the first coolant outlet port, and a second coolant inlet port, which is connected to the second coolant outlet port, are formed in the upper surface of the valve housing.

9. The coolant module of claim 8, wherein the first coolant outlet port and the second coolant outlet port are formed adjacent to a central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body, andwherein the first coolant outlet port is formed to be spaced apart from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body toward one side, and the second coolant outlet port is formed to be spaced apart from the central portion of the bottom surface of the tank body toward the other side.

10. The coolant module of claim 8, wherein when a side of the valve housing, which is exposed to the outside, is referred to as a housing outer side and a side of the valve housing, which surrounds the valve body, is referred to as a housing inner side, a first coolant transfer flow path, through which the coolant discharged from the first chamber flows, and a second coolant transfer flow path, through which the coolant discharged from the second chamber flows, are formed between the housing outer side and the housing inner side.

11. The coolant module of claim 10, wherein at least two ports are formed at the housing inner side and correspond to and communicate with the valve body,wherein the first coolant transfer flow path extends from the first coolant inlet port to a first port of the housing inner side, andwherein the second coolant transfer flow path extends from the second coolant inlet port to a second port of the housing inner side.

12. The coolant module of claim 11, wherein the housing inner side is formed to have a cylinder structure, and the first and second ports are formed in a circumferential direction of the housing inner side.

13. The coolant module of claim 12, wherein the first coolant transfer flow path comprises a first-first flow path and a first-second flow path,wherein the first-first flow path is formed from the first coolant inlet port along an upper surface of the housing inner side,wherein the first-second flow path is formed to be switched to a ‘U’ direction from the first-first flow path and connected to the first port,wherein the second coolant transfer flow path comprises a second-first flow path and a second-second flow path,wherein the second-first flow path is formed from the second coolant inlet port along the upper surface of the housing inner side, andwherein the second-second flow path is formed to be switched to a ‘U’ direction from the second-first flow path and connected to the second port.

14. The coolant module of claim 1, further comprising:at least one water pump connected to the valve.

15. The coolant module of claim 1, wherein a coolant controller is disposed on an outer lower surface of the valve housing.

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