Valve unit for handling fluid in an air-conditioning system

Abstract

The invention relates to a valve unit (5) for handling fluid in an air-conditioning system, specifically a vehicle air-conditioning system, having a valve housing (6) with first valves (7.1) inserted in perpendicular valve bores (9.1) on a first valve bank (6.1) and second valves (7.2) inserted in perpendicular valve bores (9.2) on a second valve bank (6.2), wherein the valve bores (9.1; 9.2) and the valve banks (6.1; 6.2) are arranged relative to one another such that the first valves (7.1) of the first valve bank (6.1) and the second valves (7.2) of the second valve bank (6.2) are at an angle to one another and / or are offset from one another.

Description

VALVE UNIT FOR HANDLING FLUID IN AN AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM

[0001] The invention relates to a valve unit for handling fluid in an air-conditioning system. The valve unit is intended in particular for a vehicle air-conditioning system.

[0002] A valve unit, which is also referred to as a valve block, is a central component that combines multiple valves for handling a fluid in a compact unit. In air-conditioning systems, valve units play an important role in the regulation and control of a fluid circuit. The use of valve units, for example in vehicle air-conditioning systems, is advantageous, since the compact structure requires a small amount of space, and the central position of the valves allows easy maintenance. The typical structure of a valve unit comprises a usually rectangular valve housing made of robust extruded materials such as steel, stainless steel or aluminium, with aluminium being preferred owing to the weight saving. It contains bores and ducts that accommodate the different valves and connections. Until now, valve units have been configured such that the valve bores for accommodating the valves are made perpendicularly on one side of the valve housing, so that all the valves of the valve unit are situated on one side of the valve housing.

[0003] The trend towards more and more complex air-conditioning systems with multiple fluid circuits requires an increasing number of valves that must be accommodated by valve units. According to previous arrangement concepts, sometimes more than four valves must thus be accommodated next to one another in one or more rows on one side of a valve housing of a valve unit, which demands larger valve housings overall. Owing to the comparatively large valve heads with their actuators situated outside the valve bore, the valves take up more space on the outside of the valve housing, and therefore the valve bores must have a spacing large enough to be able to arrange the valves next to one another. The large spacings between the valve bores have the disadvantage that a large proportion of the volume of the valve housing body remains unused. A further problem of arrangement in rows on one side consists in that separate bores must be made in the valve housing in order to form ducts and duct connections for each valve. Numerous bores are thus produced, which must be sealed by means of stoppers on the outside of the valve housing. Overall, this increases the risk of leaks.

[0004] The object of the invention resulting from the above disadvantages therefore consists in proposing a valve unit for handling fluid in an air-conditioning system that can accommodate multiple valves and manages with a smaller number of bores with better use of the technically usable component volume of the valve housing and at the same time reduced component dimensions.

[0005] The object is achieved by a valve unit having the features according to Claim 1. Developments or embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0006]

[0007] The invention is based on an arrangement concept of valves of a valve unit wherein the valves are at an angle to one another and additionally can be arranged offset from one another.

[0008]

[0009] In addition to fluid ports for admitting and / or discharging a fluid, the valve unit for handling fluid has a valve housing having at least two valve banks, which are situated on different sides of the valve housing. Perpendicular valve bores for accommodating valves are formed on each valve bank. First valves are inserted in perpendicular valve bores on a first valve bank, and second valves are inserted into the perpendicular valve bores on a second valve bank. Each valve of the valve unit comprises a valve body with a closure element that can be moved up and down with an actuator positioned outside the valve bore. According to the invention, the valve bores and the valve banks are arranged relative to one another such that the first valves of the first valve bank and the second valves of the second valve bank are at an angle to one another and / or are offset from one another. The valve unit thus provided is intended in particular for handling fluid in an air-conditioning system, specifically in a vehicle air-conditioning system.

[0010]

[0011] The first and second valves can in each case be arranged on their valve banks in valve rows, and there can be an offset between the valve rows. There can also be an offset of the valves on each valve bank by at least one valve of a valve bank being situated outside a row and thus being arranged offset from the other valves of the valve bank. It is also conceivable for the at least two valve banks to have two or more rows of valves each, with the valve rows on a valve bank being offset from one another.

[0012]

[0013] Because the multiple valves on two valve banks are accommodated in a distributed manner in the valve housing, the volume of the valve housing and the space on the surface of the valve housing are used better. Owing to the offset arrangement of the first and second valves, an additional space saving is achieved by using the spaces between the first and second valve bores for a valve bore. The better use of the volume of the valve housing means that material and weight can be saved. In practice, a weight saving of up to 50% in comparison with conventional valve units is found. The valve housing according to the invention can thus be dimensioned smaller, which is reflected in a saving of material costs.

[0014]

[0015] The at least two valve banks can have flat surfaces, wherein the valve bores for accommodating the valves are each formed perpendicularly in the valve banks. The valve bores can be arranged in a line along the valve banks so that the first and second valves form a row in each case. According to an embodiment of the valve housing, it can be provided for the valve bores to be offset along the valve banks so that the valves on at least one valve bank are offset from one another. The first and second valves can thus be offset within the arrangement along the valve bank. In addition, first valves arranged in a row and second valves arranged in a row can be offset from one another along the row. The offset between the valves can thus exist in two spatial axes.

[0016]

[0017] According to a further embodiment of the valve unit, it can be provided for at least one valve bank to have a step protruding from the surface, the at least one step having a valve bore for accommodating a valve. A height offset of the valves on a valve bank is produced by the at least one step. The height offset has an effect on the position of the valve bore formed in the step inside the valve housing, such that the valve bores of a valve bank with a step are accessible to different fluid connections inside the valve housing.

[0018]

[0019] The first valves and the second valves can be at an angle in the range of 10° to 180°, preferably at an angle in the range of 30° to 180°, to one another. Owing to the perpendicular orientation of the valve bores on the valve banks, the angle between the first and second valves inserted in respective valve bores always relates to the angle between the valve banks.

[0020]

[0021] According to a first preferred embodiment of the valve unit, the first valves and the second valves can be at an angle of 45° to one another. This results in an arrangement of the valves at an acute angle, which ensures good accessibility of the valves from one side of the valve unit.

[0022]

[0023] According to a second preferred embodiment of the valve unit, the first valves and the second valves can be at an angle of 90° to one another. In this embodiment, opposing first valves and second valves are in each case oriented at right angles to one another.

[0024]

[0025] According to a third particularly preferred embodiment of the valve unit, the first valves and the second valves can be at an angle of 180° to one another. In this embodiment, two valve banks are oriented in parallel on opposite sides of the valve housing so that the valves are situated on opposite sides of the valve housing.

[0026]

[0027] The valve housing can have multiple ducts, of which at least one first duct is designed as a connection between at least two first valves or between at least two second valves. At least one second duct of the multiple ducts can be designed as a connection between at least one first valve and a second valve. The ducts can be made as perpendicular bores in the valve housing on one side, for example on an end face. Advantageously, multiple first and second valves can be assigned to one duct, so that one duct can be used for fluidic connection for multiple valves, or multiple valves of the two valve banks can use one duct jointly.

[0028]

[0029] The first and second valves can each have a valve body with an upper and a lower closure segment, each closure segment having a fluid port in the interior of the valve housing. This principle can be applied to different valve closure elements, such as needle valves or ball valves, in which multiple fluid ports arranged in the interior of the valve housing do not lie on one axis but in multiple planes. For example, in an embodiment as a needle valve, a closure element, the so-called valve needle, can be moved up and down in the interior of the valve body by rotation in order to close the upper closure segment or the lower closure segment to fluid flow. In this embodiment, the valve body has on its circumference a seal that seals off the upper closure segment from the lower closure segment when the valve body is inserted in a valve bore. The first and second valves inserted in the valve bores can thus each have an upper closure segment and a lower closure segment, and each closure segment can be assigned to one duct. The valve bores are designed such that they each form an upper and a lower cavity when the valve bodies of the valves are inserted in the valve bores. In this case, the upper closure segment of each valve body is assigned to the upper cavity, wherein the lower closure segment of the valve body is assigned to the lower cavity. The valves open or close in the region of the closure segments so that flow through an assigned duct can be influenced. The upper and lower closure segments are thus used to influence the flow path of a fluid through the valve housing. Applications can also be provided in which the first and second valves have more than two closure segments, wherein each closure segment can be assigned a duct for a fluid.

[0030]

[0031] It can be provided for the first valves and the second valves to be positioned relative to one another such that in each case the lower closure segments with their lower cavities are in alignment. In this case, the lower closure segments with their lower cavities of at least one first valve and of at least one second valve can be assigned to a common duct. At the same time, the upper closure segments of the first valves and of the second valves with their upper cavities can in each case be in alignment such that the upper closure segments of the first valves can be assigned to a common duct, wherein the upper closure segments of the second valves are assigned to a further common duct. The aligned arrangement is achieved by means of the angular arrangement of the valves, which in this case is V-shaped. As a result, multiple first and second valves can be assigned to a common duct of the valve housing in a small space, without a separate duct bore having to be provided for each valve. Advantageously, a smaller number of bores is thus needed to form desired duct paths. As a result, fewer end stoppers are also needed, and therefore the risk of undesired external leaks can be kept low. Owing to the small spacing between the valve bores, shorter drilling distances or drilling depths for forming the ducts are advantageously possible.

[0032]

[0033] Between a first valve that is opposite a second valve, a fluidic connection can be provided between the lower closure segments or between the lower cavities of the valves by a bore that adjoins a valve bore as an extended bore. Owing to the bore adjoining the valve bore, a connection is provided between a first valve and a second valve, without an additional bore from an outside of the valve housing being necessary.

[0034]

[0035] In another embodiment of the invention, the first valves and the second valves can be positioned relative to one another such that the lower closure segment of at least one first valve and the upper closure segment of at least one second valve are in alignment, wherein the lower closure segment of at least one further first valve is in alignment with the lower closure segment of at least one further second valve. A lower closure element of at least one first valve and an upper closure element of at least one second valve can thus be assigned to the same duct, wherein the lower closure element of a further first valve with the lower closure segment of a further second valve can be assigned to another duct. This arrangement or assignment can be achieved by an offset of the valves along each valve bank.

[0036]

[0037] According to yet another embodiment, it can be provided for the first valves and the second valves to be positioned relative to one another such that the lower closure segments of the first valves and the upper closure segments of the second valves are in alignment, wherein the upper closure segments of the first valves and the lower closure segments of the second valves are in alignment. In this embodiment, the valve banks are oriented in parallel on opposite sides of the valve housing so that the first and second valves are at an angle of 180° to one another. In this case, the first valves and the second valves are arranged offset from one another, and the first and second valves can in each case have an offset from one another.

[0038]

[0039] Because the first and second closure elements of the first and second valves of the at least two valve banks are in alignment, aligned duct paths that are connected fluidically to the valves through the respective upper or lower cavities can advantageously be used by multiple valves in a small space.

[0040]

[0041] The valve housing can be formed from an extruded aluminium material. Aluminium or aluminium alloys have good processability and a low weight, and therefore aluminium or an aluminium alloy is preferred as a material for the valve housing.

[0042]

[0043] The valve unit according to the invention allows space-saving accommodation and arrangement of multiple valves. For example, at least 2, preferably at least 5, valves can be accommodated on each of the at least two valve banks of the valve housing.

[0044]

[0045] The use of the valve unit according to the invention is advantageous in air-conditioning systems for the installation of which limited space is available. The advantages of the space-saving arrangement of the valves with simultaneous weight reduction are apparent in particular in an air-conditioning system of a vehicle. The valve unit according to the invention is therefore intended in particular for use in an air-conditioning system of a vehicle.

[0046] Further details, features and advantages of embodiments of the invention can be found in the description of exemplary embodiments below with reference to the associated drawings. In the drawings:

[0047]

[0048] Fig. 1: shows schematic diagrams of valve units according to designs from the prior art,

[0049] Fig. 2: shows a schematic perspective diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of a valve unit according to the invention,

[0050] Fig. 3: shows a sectional diagram of the first exemplary embodiment of a valve unit according to the invention,

[0051] Fig. 4: shows a schematic diagram of a second exemplary embodiment of a valve unit according to the invention, and

[0052] Fig. 5: shows a schematic diagram of a third exemplary embodiment of a valve unit according to the invention.

[0053] Figure 1 shows two schematic diagrams a) and b) of designs of valve units from the prior art. The valve unit 1 shown in diagram a) has a rectangular valve housing 2 with ducts 3 and four valves 4, which are arranged on one side of the valve housing 2. For the fluidic connection of the valves 4, separate bores are necessary in each case, some of which must be sealed with stoppers. Diagram b) shows a further design of a valve unit 1 according to the prior art with an elongate rectangular valve housing 2. In this design, the valves 4 are arranged in a row next to one another on a single valve bank on one side of the valve housing 2. Owing to the necessary spacing between the individual valve bores formed on one side, the valve housings of the prior art have a large proportion of technically unused component volume. Each valve 4 requires a separate connection bore and a separate fluid port 4.1.

[0054]

[0055] Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of a valve unit 5 according to the invention. The valve unit 5 can be provided for handling fluid in a vehicle air-conditioning system. The valve unit 5 comprises a valve housing 6 with a first valve bank 6.1 and a second valve bank 6.2, with two first valves 7.1 being accommodated on the first valve bank 6.1, and two second valves 7.2 being accommodated on the second valve bank 6.2. In contrast to the designs of valve units shown in Figures 1a and 1b, the invention has a valve housing 6 with two valve banks 6.1 and 6.2, so that the valves 7.1 and 7.2 are distributed on two sides of the valve housing 6. Accordingly, the valve banks 6.1 and 6.2 each have perpendicular valve bores 9.1 and 9.2 (see Figure 3), into which a valve 7.1 and 7.2, respectively, is inserted. According to the invention, the valve banks 6.1 and 6.2 are oriented at an angle to one another so that the valves 7.1 and 7.2 are at an angle of 45° to one another in the exemplary embodiment shown. The arrangement of the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 thus forms a V shape.

[0056]

[0057] Perpendicular bores are made in the valve housing 6 on the end face, visible in the image plane, of the valve housing 6, so that two upper ducts 8.1 and a lower duct 8.2 are formed. At the openings of the upper ducts 8.1 and the lower duct 8.2, fluid ports within the meaning of the fluid ports 4.1 shown in Figure 1b can be provided on the end face of the valve housing 6 in order to admit and / or discharge a fluid. Refrigerant lines can be attached to these fluid ports.

[0058]

[0059] Figure 3 shows a sectional diagram of the first exemplary embodiment, shown in Figure 2, of the valve unit 5 according to the invention. The sectional diagram allows a view of the valve bores 9.1 and 9.2 formed in the valve housing 6. The first valve 7.1 is inserted in the valve bore 9.1, wherein the valve bore 9.2 has the second valve 7.2.

[0060]

[0061] The first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 each have a valve body 10 with an upper closure segment 10.1 and a lower closure segment 10.2, wherein a closure element 11 can be moved up and down in the interior of the valve body 10 by rotation in order to influence a flow from the upper closure segment 10.1 to the lower closure segment 10.2. The shape of the valve bodies 10 of the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 is designed such that a cavity 13.1 / 13.2 is produced in the valve bores 9.1 and 9.2 at the positions of the closure segments 10.1 and 10.2, respectively. An upper cavity 13.1 is formed at the upper closure segment 10.1 of each valve 7.1 / 7.2, wherein a lower cavity 13.2 is formed at the lower closure segment 10.2 of the valves 7.1 / 7.2.

[0062]

[0063] The valve bodies 10 each have a seal 12 around their circumference in order to seal off the upper closure segment 10.1 with the upper cavity 13.1 from the lower closure segment 10.2 with the lower cavity 13.2 in each valve bore 9.1 / 9.2. The upper closure segment 10.1 with the upper cavity 13.1 of the first valve 7.1 is assigned to a first upper duct 8.1. The first valves 7.1 of the first valve bank 6.1 are arranged such that the upper closure segments 10.1 with the upper cavities 13.1 are in alignment. In the second valves 7.2, the upper closure segments 10.1 with the upper cavities 13.1 are likewise arranged in alignment but are assigned to the second upper duct 8.1. The lower closure segments 10.2 of the first valves 7.1 and the lower closure segments 10.2 of the second valves 7.2 are assigned to the lower duct 8.2, and the cavities 13.1 and 13.2 of the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 meet in the lower duct 8.2. This arrangement allows a fluid flow in the lower duct 8.2 to be influenced by the first valves 7.1 and the second valves 7.2.

[0064]

[0065] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of a second exemplary embodiment of a valve unit 5 according to the invention, in which the first valves 7.1 and the second valves 7.2 are arranged opposingly. For better illustration, Figure 4 shows only the contours of the opposing first and second valve bores 9.1 and 9.2 and the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 arranged therein, wherein the contour of the valve housing is omitted. The structure of the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 corresponds to the structure of the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 shown in Figure 3. Since the portion of the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 that is situated in the valve bores 9.1 and 9.2 is concealed, reference is made to the description of Figure 3, in particular with regard to the upper and lower closure segments 10.1 and 10.2 of the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2.

[0066]

[0067] In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the valve banks are oriented in parallel. Since the valve bores 9.1 and 9.2 are formed perpendicularly, the angle between the first valves 7.1 and the second valves 7.2 is thus 180°.

[0068]

[0069] As can be seen, the valve bores 9.1 and 9.2 are each arranged offset so that the intermediate space between each pair of valve bores 9.1 is used for an opposing valve bore 9.2. In this embodiment, the first valves 7.1 and the second valves 7.2 are oriented relative to one another such that the lower cavities 13.2 of the first valves 7.1, which are assigned to the lower closure segments 10.2, and the upper cavities 13.1 of the second valves 7.2, which are assigned to the upper closure segments 10.1, are in alignment, wherein the lower cavities 13.2 of the second valves 7.2, which are assigned to the lower closure segments 10.2, and the upper cavities 13.1 of the first valves 7.1, which are assigned to the upper closure segments 10.1, are in alignment. By means of this space-saving arrangement, particularly short duct connections can be formed between the individual valves 7.1 / 7.2.

[0070]

[0071] Reference signs 8.3 to 8.8 denote ducts of the valve housing 6. The ducts 8.4 to 8.7 are each formed between a first valve 7.1 and a second valve 7.2. The duct 8.4 connects the lower cavity 13.2 of a second valve bore 9.2 to the upper cavity 13.1 of a first valve bore 9.1 following from left to right. The duct 8.5 connects the lower cavity 13.2 of a first valve bore 9.1 to the upper cavity 13.1 of a following second valve bore 9.2. The duct 8.3 forms a direct inlet or outlet for the upper closure segment 10.1 of the second valve 7.2. The duct 8.8 oriented perpendicularly to the ducts 8.3 to 8.7 connects two of the first valves 7.1 to two second valves 7.2, wherein the duct 8.8 is assigned the lower closure segments 10.2 of the lower cavities 13.2 of the second valves 7.2 and the upper closure segments 10.1 of the upper cavities 13.1 of the first valves 7.1. The ducts 8.3 to 8.8 can each have connection elements for fluid ports (not shown) on the outside of the housing, to each of which a refrigerant line can be attached, for example by welding. The fluid ports can be designed like the fluid ports 4.1 shown in Figure 1b.

[0072]

[0073] Because the first valves 7.1 and the second valves 7.2 are situated opposingly on two sides of the valve housing, two free sides of the valve housing are advantageously available for the attachment of connection elements for fluid ports. In this embodiment, the created free space offers particularly simple mounting of the fluid ports for refrigerant lines.

[0074]

[0075] Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of a third exemplary embodiment of a valve unit 5 according to the invention. The diagram shows only the arrangement and the orientation of the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 in the valve bores 9.1 and 9.2; for better illustration, only the outer contours of the valve bores 9.1 and 9.2 are shown, and the contours of the valve housing are omitted. The first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 are arranged at an angle of 90° to one another, and the two second valves 7.2 are offset from one another. Furthermore, the second valve 7.2 that is at the front in the image plane is set back relative to the second valve 7.2 at the rear, and therefore the second valves 7.2 protrude into the valve housing to different depths. The set-back arrangement is achieved by the valve housing having a step on the valve bank, which step protrudes from the surface and in which step the valve bore 9.2 is formed for accommodating the second valve 7.2 that is at the front in the image plane. The lower cavities 13.2 of the first and second valves 7.1 and 7.2 can be connected by a bore (not shown). This bore connecting the lower cavities 13.2 can be designed as an extended valve bore 9.2 of the set-back second valve 7.2. A bore that extends deeper into the valve housing can thus adjoin the end of the valve bore 9.2 of the second valve 7.2 that is at the front in the image plane. The valve bores 9.1 and 9.2 for the first valve 7.1 that is at the front in the image plane and for the second valve 7.2 that is at the front in the image plane are oriented relative to one another such that the more deeply extending portion of the valve bore 9.2 and the lower cavity 13.2 of the first valve 7.1 can meet. In this way, a connection can be formed between the lower cavities 13.2 of the first valve 7.1 that is at the front in the image plane and of the second valve 7.2 that is at the front in the image plane, without an additional bore from an outside of the valve housing being necessary.

[0076] List of reference numerals

[0077]

[0078] 1 Valve unit

[0079] 2 Valve housing

[0080] 3 Duct

[0081] 4 Valve

[0082] 4.1 Fluid port

[0083] 5 Valve unit

[0084] 6 Valve housing

[0085] 6.1 First valve bank

[0086] 6.2 Second valve bank

[0087] 7.1 First valve

[0088] 7.2 Second valve

[0089] 8.1 Upper duct

[0090] 8.2 Lower duct

[0091] 8.3 to 8.8 Duct

[0092] 9.1 Valve bore

[0093] 9.2 Valve bore

[0094] 10 Valve body

[0095] 10.1 Upper closure segment

[0096] 10.2 Lower closure segment

[0097] 11 Closure element

[0098] 12 Seal

[0099] 13.1 Upper cavity

[0100] 13.2 Lower cavity

Claims

1.A valve unit (5) for handling fluid in an air-conditioning system, specifically a vehicle air-conditioning system, having a valve housing (6) with first valves (7.1) inserted in perpendicular valve bores (9.1) on a first valve bank (6.1) and second valves (7.2) inserted in perpendicular valve bores (9.2) on a second valve bank (6.2), wherein the valve bores (9.1; 9.2) and the valve banks (6.1; 6.2) are arranged relative to one another such that the first valves (7.1) of the first valve bank (6.1) and the second valves (7.2) of the second valve bank (6.2) are at an angle to one another and / or are offset from one another.2.The valve unit (5) according to Claim 1, characterised in that the first valves (7.1) and the second valves (7.2) are at an angle in the range of 10° to 180°, preferably at an angle in the range of 30° to 180°, to one another.3.The valve unit (5) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the at least two valve banks (6.1; 6.2) have flat surfaces.4.The valve unit (5) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that at least one valve bank (6.1; 6.2) has a step protruding from the surface, the at least one step having a valve bore for accommodating a valve (7.1; 7.2).5.The valve unit (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the valve housing (6) has ducts (8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8), of which at least one upper duct (8.1) is designed as a connection between at least two first valves (7.1) or between at least two second valves (7.2), and at least one second duct (8.2) is designed as a connection between at least one first valve (7.1) and at least one second valve (7.2).6.The valve unit (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first valves (7.1) and second valves (7.2) inserted in the valve bores (9.1; 9.2) each have a valve body (10) with an upper closure segment (10.1) and a lower closure segment (10.2), each closure segment (10.1;　10.2) being assigned to a duct (8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8) of the valve housing (6).7.The valve unit (5) according to Claim 6, characterised in that the first valves (7.1) and the second valves (7.2) are positioned relative to one another such that the respective lower closure segments (10.2) are in alignment.8.The valve unit (5) according to Claim 6, characterised in that the first valves (7.1) and the second valves (7.2) are positioned relative to one another such that the lower closure segment (10.2) of at least one first valve (7.1) and the upper closure segment (10.1) of at least one second valve (7.2) are in alignment, wherein the lower closure segment (10.2) of at least one further first valve (7.1) is in alignment with the lower closure segment (10.2) of at least one further second valve (7.2).9.The valve unit (5) according to Claim 6, characterised in that the first valves (7.1) and the second valves (7.2) are positioned relative to one another such that the lower closure segments (10.2) of the first valves (7.1) and the upper closure segments (10.1) of the second valves (7.2) are in alignment, wherein the upper closure segments (10.1) of the first valves (7.1) and the lower closure segments (10.2) of the second valves (7.2) are in alignment.10.The valve unit (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the valve housing (6) is formed from an extruded aluminium material.11.The valve unit (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least 2, preferably 5, valves (7.1; 7.2) are accommodated on each of the at least two valve banks (6.1; 6.2).12.Use of a valve unit (5) according to Claims 1 to 11 in an air-conditioning system of a vehicle.

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