Inter-way sealing for multi-way valves

Abstract

The invention relates to a hydraulic rotary valve comprising a housing (2) and a distributor (4), the housing (2) comprising a side wall (8), demarcated by two ends (16', 20), delimiting a hydraulic chamber, in which the distributor is housed, which is capable of rotating in the chamber about an axis (XX') of rotation, the housing comprising at least two holes, which open into the hydraulic chamber, the distributor comprising a lateral surface, covered by a sleeve (40), which is in turn covered by a seal (42) that is in contact with the side wall (8) of the housing, the sleeve and the seal being fixed with respect to the housing, an inlet opening of a channel, at least one lateral outlet of this channel, and allowing one of the at least two holes to be supplied from the other hole, depending on the angular position of the distributor in the housing.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Title of the invention: INTER-WAY SEAL FOR MULTI-WAY VALVES

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD AND PREVIOUS ART

[0004] The invention applies to valves used in thermal management circuits, for example, those based on glycol / water mixtures and / or oil. One application of the invention is in the automotive field, but it can be extended to other sectors.

[0005] As illustrated in Figure 1, a valve of a known type connects inlets and outlets and has two or more ports. The valve consists of a body 202, seals 204, 206, and a distributor 208. When one of the ports is closed by the distributor, a leak of varying size occurs through that port, and its magnitude can vary depending on the sealing technique used.

[0006] However, this also has an impact on the clamping torque C obtained at the end of the distributor shaft. The higher this torque, the larger the driving section will be, which leads to two significant drawbacks: the overall size (higher torque requires a larger motor) and the current consumption (higher torque requires a higher current).

[0007] On the other hand, to perform specific hydraulic functions, it sometimes happens that two flows, circulating from one channel to another in a distributor, particularly a rotary valve, must be regulated in parallel in terms of flow rate and without them communicating with each other. A concrete example is the regulation of a cold flow in parallel with a hot flow.

[0008] However, in this type of system, the sealing between the channels has an impact on the torque which will drive the distributor.

[0009] From another perspective, the higher the number of ways in a distributor, particularly in the case of a rotary valve, the greater the power of the actuator used must be, which generally goes hand in hand with a larger volume for that actuator.

[0010] The problem therefore arises of finding an improved sealing solution between the paths of a distributor, particularly in the case of a rotary valve.

[0011] A particular challenge is managing multiple exchange flows in parallel without them communicating with each other (or if they do communicate, there is very little leakage from one flow to another). For example, traditional sealing solutions do not allow for combining a redirection function with a regulation function. As can be seen in Figure 2, which depicts a redirection valve (comprising a core 208' and seals 204', 206' and 204'i, 206'i) for two parallel flows, two flows cannot be redirected independently: the core is equipped with two separate conduits to prevent the flows from mixing while ensuring their redirection; however, this function is only guaranteed by the precise positioning of the core.For example, if ports A and B, and then C and D, communicate with each other separately, the core must be positioned at a specific angle with a certain precision (e.g., +3°). It is impossible to combine this type of function with a control function on a single-stage valve, as the latter requires a greater angular displacement to operate.

[0012] The problem therefore also arises of being able to manage orientation and regulation functions in the same valve.

[0013] There is also the problem of finding a distributor architecture that makes it possible to lift or reduce space constraints, particularly with regard to the actuator.

[0014] The problem also arises of finding a distributor architecture that allows the volume and / or power of the actuator used to be reduced, particularly in the case of a rotary valve with a high number of ways, for example more than 4 or 5, especially in the case of a valve with at least 2 stages, for example of the type providing several functions, for example an orientation function and a regulation function in the same valve.

[0015] The problem of consumption and management of parallel flows in a distributor also arises.

[0016] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The invention proposes an internal sealing solution for a rotary valve.

[0018] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a hydraulic rotary valve comprising a housing and a core or distributor, said housing comprising a side wall, limited by two ends, the entirety of the side wall and the two ends thus delimiting a hydraulic chamber, in which is housed the distributor adapted to rotate in said chamber about an axis (XX') of rotation, the housing comprising at least 2 orifices, for example one orifice for a supply channel, and 2 orifices for 2 outlet channels, which open into the hydraulic chamber, the distributor comprising a lateral surface, in contact with a sleeve, for example a layer of a material forming a sleeve, itself covered with a seal, for example of an elastomeric material or a thermoplastic, in contact with the side wall of the housing (or the inner face of said side wall of the housing), the sleeve and the seal being fixed relative to the housing,the distributor further comprising at least one inlet opening, for example a lateral inlet (or made in the lateral surface of the distributor), of a channel or sector, at least one outlet, for example a lateral outlet (or made in the lateral surface of the distributor), of this channel or sector, the distributor allowing supply to one of the at least 2 ports of the housing, from the other port, for example supplying each of said outlet channels from said supply channel, depending on the angular position of the distributor in the housing.

[0019] The distributor is mobile relative to the sleeve and the seal, which are fixed relative to the housing.

[0020] In a particular embodiment, the sleeve is applied against the lateral surface of the distributor. It can be in constant contact with this surface and / or be uniformly compressed all around the distributor.

[0021] The lateral surface of the housing, the contact surface between the seal and the liner and the contact surface between the seal and the internal surface of the housing and possibly the contact surface between the liner and the lateral surface of the distributor against which it is applied, may be parallel to each other, these surfaces extending for example substantially perpendicularly to a direction of fluid flow in the distributor and / or for example substantially parallel to the axis of rotation (XX') of the distributor in the housing.

[0022] According to the invention, the sleeve covering the core body is itself covered with a sealing layer, for example, made of an elastomer or thermoplastic material. This sealing layer can extend over the entire surface of the sleeve, or only over a portion thereof, in a direction parallel to the axis (XX') of rotation. The sleeve is made of a rigid material, for example, a plastic, and not an elastomer. The sleeve is therefore in contact on one side with the distributor body and on the other with the inner surface of the sealing layer. The seal is in contact on one side with the sleeve and on the other with the inner surface of the housing. This structure reduces the hindering torque and thus solves at least one of the problems described above. The seal can be assembled or overmolded onto the sleeve.For example, the sleeve and the seal each have n (n>l) orifice(s), the housing also has n (n>l) orifice(s), each orifice of the sleeve and the seal corresponding to an orifice of the housing.

[0023] According to one embodiment, at least one of the orifices of the seal has a maximum dimension greater than that of the orifice of the liner opposite which it is located, which prevents the seal from obstructing the passage of the fluid when the latter is not correctly coaxial with the orifice of the liner.

[0024] For the jacket material, a material with a low or very low Young's modulus is preferred, for example less than 6000 MPa.

[0025] The lateral surface of the case, the contact surface between the seal and the liner, the contact surface between the seal and the internal surface of the case, and the contact surface between the core and the liner are parallel to each other.

[0026] A hydraulic rotary valve according to the invention may include at least one anti-rotation element of the sleeve and / or at least one anti-rotation element of the seal. For example, the side wall of the housing and / or the sleeve may include at least one anti-rotation element of the seal. An anti-rotation element of the sleeve that comes into contact with the inner surface of the housing reinforces the anti-rotation effect: in this case, both the seal and a portion of the sleeve are in contact with the inner surface of the housing.

[0027] A hydraulic rotary valve according to the invention may further include means which allow it to adapt to the thermal expansions of the distributor, for example at least 1 or 2 lugs along a generatrix of the cylinder formed by the sleeve.

[0028] For example, the shirt includes:

[0029] - at least one tab or at least one crenellated element that allows it to adapt to the thermal expansions of the distributor;

[0030] - and / or at least one tab or lug along a generatrix of the cylinder formed by the sleeve.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the jacket can be made of a material with a Young's modulus of less than 6000 MPa. It is for example made of a polymer material, for example unfilled polyamide, or even POM (or Polyoxymethylene).

[0032] According to yet another embodiment, a valve according to the invention further comprises means for actuation of the distributor, for example a geared motor (MR), providing a torque between 0.5 and 5 Nm. The actuator may comprise an output shaft aligned along the axis (XX') of rotation.

[0033] A valve according to the invention may have at least 2 stages, for example one stage having at least 3 ports or at least 3 ways and another stage having at least 4 ports or at least 4 ways.

[0034] One end of the housing may have a wall, and the other end may have a wall or at least a fluid circulation opening. In a hydraulic rotary valve according to the invention, of the type comprising at least two stages:

[0035] - at least one outlet of one floor can be connected or directly connected to an inlet of the other floor, for example by a conduit or a channel or a route external to the valve; thus, a fluid can pass from one floor to another by circulating through a conduit or a channel or a route external to the valve;

[0036] - and / or the valve, or a wall or a separating element of the 2 stages, may include at least one conduit or at least one internal fluid communication pathway between the said at least 2 stages; thus, a fluid can pass from one stage to the other without circulating outside the valve;

[0037] - and / or the valve may include a stage which distributes a fluid proportionally, and a stage which provides a redirection function; the inlet(s) and / or outlet(s) of one and / or the other stage may be arranged so that, in one or more angular range(s) of rotation of the distributor, one or more changes in flow in the proportional stage do not affect the distribution of fluid in the redirection stage.

[0038] - and / or the valve may include a proportional stage with 3 ports P, B, A, and a redirection stage with 4 ports C, D, E, F:

[0039] * the exchange rate from lane P to lane A going from 0% (for a l ère angular range G1 = [al, bl]) at 100% (for a 2 ème angular range G2 = [a2, b2], G2 different from G1 and not covering G1 (a2>bl)), with a proportional orientation of the fluid from P to A which grows from 0 to 100% between these angular ranges (from G1 to G2);

[0040] * the exchange rate from pathway P to pathway B increasing from 100% (for the l ère angular range Gl) at 0% (for the 2 ème angular range G2), with a proportional orientation of the fluid from P to B which decreases from 100% to 0% between these angular ranges (from Gl to G2);

[0041] - and / or at the redirection stage, the exchange rates from route D to route F and from route C to route E remain at 0% (for a 3 èmeangular range G3, which contains Gl and G2 and the interval bl-a2 that separates them) and those from channel C to channel D and from channel E to channel F remain at 100% (for the 3 ème angular range G3; and / or:

[0042] * the exchange rate from lane P to lane A going from 0% (for a 4 ème angular range G'l = [a' 1, b'1]) at 100% (for a 5 ème angular range G'2 = [a'2, b'2], G'2 different from Gl, G2 (a'l>b2) and G'1 and not covering G'1 (a'2>b'l)), with a proportional orientation of the fluid from P to A which increases from 0 to 100% between these angular ranges (from G'1 to G'2); between G2 and G'1, the exchange rate from path P to path A, resp.B, having returned to 0%, resp. 100%;

[0043] * the exchange rate from lane P to lane B increasing from 100% (for the 4 ème angular range G'1) at 0% (for the 5 èmeangular range G'2), with a proportional orientation of the fluid from P to B which decreases from 100% to 0% between these angular ranges (from G'1 to G'2);

[0044] - and / or at the redirection level, the exchange rates from route D to route F and from route C to route E remain at 100% (for a 6 ème angular range G'3, which contains G'1 and G'2 and the interval b'l-a'2 that separates them) and those of track C to track D and of track E to track F remain at 100% (for the 6 ème angular range G'3;

[0045] The entire angular range G3 and G'3 can be between 0° and 360° or between 0° and 180°, so that, on one turn or half a turn of the valve, there are 2 complete cycles of the proportional valve and / or one complete cycle of the redirection valve.

[0046] The invention also relates to a cooling circuit, for example of a hydrogen fuel cell, or a thermal management circuit, for example of a battery-powered vehicle, comprising at least one hydraulic rotary valve according to the invention.

[0047] The invention also relates to a method of distributing a fluid using a motorized hydraulic rotary valve according to the invention, the fluid being introduced through the inlet, and being guided by the internal conduit of the distributor and then, depending on the orientation of the distributor in the housing, towards one and / or the other of the outlet ports.

[0048] The fluid is, for example, air, water, a mixture of water and glycol, oil (for example, simple oil), or a dielectric fluid. It is, for example, a coolant for a fuel cell.

[0049] The application is particularly relevant to thermal systems in automobiles, especially electric vehicles. It also applies to fuel cell cooling circuits and to cooling or thermal management systems for heavy goods vehicles.

[0050] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0051] Other aspects, objectives, advantages and features of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0052] [Fig. 1] is a view of a valve of a known type.

[0053] [Fig. 2] represents a housing of a valve of a known type.

[0054] [Fig. 3A] - [Fig. 3B] - [Fig. 3C] - [Fig. 3D] illustrate various aspects of realizations of the invention.

[0055] [Fig. 4A] and [Fig. 4B] are views of a part of a valve according to the invention.

[0056] [Fig. 5] illustrates a variant of a valve according to the invention.

[0057] [Fig. 6] is a view of part of a sleeve of a valve according to the invention.

[0058] [Fig. 7] shows a 2-stage valve, to which the invention can be applied.

[0059] [Fig. 8A] - [Fig. 8B] - [Fig. 8C] - [Fig. 8D] - [Fig. 8E] - [Fig. 8F] show 6 states of a 2-stage valve according to the invention.

[0060] [Fig. 9] shows a circuit comprising a 2-stage valve according to the invention.

[0061] [Fig. 10] shows the open and closed states of the different paths of a 2-stage valve according to the invention.

[0062] [Fig. 11] shows a cross-sectional view of a 2-stage valve according to the invention.

[0063] [Fig. 12A] - [Fig. 12B] - [Fig. 12C] - [Fig. 12D] - [Fig. 12E] show various aspects of a 2-stage valve according to the invention.

[0064] [Fig. 13] shows an exploded view of a 2-stage valve according to the invention.

[0065] [Fig. 14A] - [Fig. 14B] - [Fig. 14C] show a 2-stage valve according to the invention.

[0066] [Fig. 15A] and [Fig. 15B] represent a valve housing and, on the other hand, the percentage of flow exchange as a function of the position of the moving part in this housing.

[0067] [Fig. 16] is a hydraulic diagram showing, for various pairs of channels in an upper and lower stage, the flow exchange rates between the two channels of each pair, as a function of the valve rotation angle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0068] Examples of valve implementations according to the invention are shown in figures 3A - 3D.

[0069] These figures show an example of a two-stage hydraulic rotary valve with N inlets (e.g., N = 3) and M outlets (e.g., M = 4), these inlets and outlets being distributed across the two stages, each stage having at least one inlet and at least one outlet. It will be understood that, more generally, a valve according to the invention may be a single-stage valve and / or may have one or more inlets and one or more outlets.

[0070] A valve according to the invention, with at least 2 stages, may include a connection between 2 stages, an outlet of one stage being connected to an inlet of another stage, either by a conduit external to the valve, or by circulation inside the valve, through a conduit or an orifice through a wall which separates the 2 stages.

[0071] The valve comprises a housing 2 or valve body, essentially cylindrical in shape around an axis XX', and a central part 4, called the core or distributor, also cylindrical in shape around axis XX', mounted in the housing 2 and capable of rotating within it.

[0072] In the example shown, the housing 2 has an end 20, closed by a bottom or end wall (which is not visible in Figure 3A). Alternatively (Figure 3B), the end 20 may have one or more openings or orifices 20a (in which case, one or more similar openings are provided in the distributor); these allow a fluid to be introduced or removed, either inlet or outlet, in the same way as other openings or orifices, for example, the openings or orifices to which the conduits 22 or 24 lead. A side wall 8 is substantially cylindrical and preferably in one piece. A cover 16 closes the other end 16' of the housing. The cover 16 can be attached to the housing, for example, by screws or by welding, for example, by ultrasonic welding.

[0073] The housing 2 has one or more ports, called supply or discharge ports, formed in the side wall 8 (not visible in Figure 3A or 3B, but visible (references 14a, 22a) in Figure 3C) and one or more supply or discharge conduits 22, for example welded to the base of the supply or discharge ports and intended, for example, for connection to a liquid source. The housing 2 also has a first outlet port (not visible in Figure 3A), formed in the side wall 8, extending, for example, into a conduit or channel 24 intended to bring the liquid to a given area, for example, an area to be cooled, and optionally a second outlet port (not visible in Figure 3A), also formed in the side wall 8 and extending, for example, into a conduit or channel 14.The conduits 14, 22 and 24 are for example welded to the base of the respective supply or outlet ports 14a, 22a or injected at the same time as the body 8. Reference can be made to figures 3B, 4A, 14A-14C for a complete and assembled view of an example of a 2-stage valve according to the invention.

[0074] Figure 3D represents a top view of the distributor, on which we see an intermediate wall 105 of the distributor (as in figure 11), as well as one or more anti-rotation elements 141, 148, for example one or more lip(s), as also discussed later.

[0075] Depending on the system in which the valve according to the invention is incorporated, and / or the function(s) performed by the valve and / or by each stage thereof; it is possible to have a different distribution of the orifices or supply or flow (or outlet) conduits than that explained above.

[0076] The housing 2 defines a hydraulic chamber into which the core 4 can be introduced, which has two end faces 28, 30 and a lateral surface 32 which comes opposite the lateral wall 8 of the housing 2.

[0077] Both the distributor and the housing can be manufactured by injection molding. Machining of the distributor's outer diameter is possible if it exhibits a cylindricity defect.

[0078] The end face 28 faces the bottom of the housing, and the end face 30 faces the cover 16. The end face 30 includes, for example, a projecting coupling member 31 designed to engage in a recess formed in the shaft of an actuator 34, for example, a geared motor. A seal 17 is advantageously provided between the end face 30 and the cover 16 bordering this recess to prevent fluid leakage.

[0079] In an alternative (not shown), the end face 30 has means, for example a recess, for receiving the end of a shaft of the actuator 34. The cover 16 then has an opening opposite this recess to allow coupling with the shaft of the geared motor.

[0080] According to one aspect of the invention, a sleeve 40 is applied against the outer surface of the core. This sleeve has low stiffness; it is made of a material having a low or very low Young's modulus, preferably less than 6000 MPa. For example, it is made of a polymer material, such as an unfilled or unfibered polyamide or POM (or polyoxymethylene). The contact between the distributor and the sleeve 40 is surface-based.

[0081] It can have a thickness, for example, between 1 and 2.5 mm.

[0082] A gasket 42, forming a layer, is positioned between this sleeve 40 and the inner surface of the housing wall. It has, for example, a thickness of 2.5 mm, but this thickness can vary. Both the sleeve and the gasket are essentially cylindrical in shape, with an axis identical to that of the core 4. This gasket layer can extend over the entire surface of the sleeve, or only over a portion of it (preferably where the ports 40a, 40b, and 42a, 42b respectively are located, as explained later), in a direction parallel to the axis (XX') of rotation: in other words, it can form a cylindrical band around the sleeve, but not along its entire height or that of the housing along the axis XX'.

[0083] The contact between the seal 42 and the sleeve 40 is surface contact, even if the seal does not extend over the entire longitudinal extension (along the axis XX') of the housing.

[0084] The seal 42 is compressed between the valve body and the sleeve, which is itself under compression on the distributor.

[0085] The seal 42 and the sleeve 40 form an assembly which is fixed relative to the housing 8; the distributor 4, however, is mobile relative to this assembly and is actuated in rotation to distribute one or more fluids.

[0086] Preferably, the clearance between the sleeve 40 and the surface 32 of the distributor 4 is zero (or very small) so that their surfaces are in contact. This clearance is adapted to the required leakage rate. For example, this clearance is on the order of 1 / 100 mm. Ideally, zero clearance is sought, and this clearance is increased if the torque required to move the distributor puts excessive strain on the geared motor.

[0087] As can be seen from Figures 3A and 4A-4B, the lateral surface of the housing, the contact surface between the seal 42 and the sleeve 40, and the contact surface between the seal 42 and the internal surface of the housing 8 are parallel to each other. These surfaces extend substantially perpendicularly to a direction of fluid flow in the core and substantially parallel to the axis of rotation XX' of the core 4 in the housing 8.

[0088] When the sleeve 40 is partially in contact with the body, for example via an anti-rotation element 148 such as a lip, the anti-rotation effect of the entire assembly of the two layers 40, 42 is reinforced. Orifices 40a, 40b, and 42a, 42b respectively are formed in the sleeve and the seal: these correspond to the inlet or outlet openings of the valve body 8. Thus, a fluid entering the distributor first sees or flows alongside the seal material 42, then the sleeve material 40, and then enters the internal chamber of the distributor 4. A fluid exiting the distributor 4 first sees or flows alongside the sleeve material 40, then the seal material 42, and exits through the wall 8. One or more of the orifices 42a, 42b may have a peripheral lip to improve the seal with the body.

[0089] Preferably, as can be seen from Figure 3D, the liner is uniformly compressed all around the distributor to ensure constant contact with its wall. The arrows in Figure 3D around the liner represent this compression.

[0090] Figure 3C represents the housing 2. Unlike Figure 3B, the bottom 20 of the housing is closed here. As can be seen in this figure, the cylindrical inner surface of this housing may have one or more engraved area(s) 141', 148', for example grooves, to receive one or more anti-rotation element(s) 141, 148 as explained below.

[0091] An orifice 40a in the sleeve and a corresponding orifice 42a in the seal (i.e., the orifice 42a that is opposite or facing the orifice 40a) may have identical diameters or dimensions. Alternatively, an orifice 42a in the seal may have a larger diameter or dimension than its corresponding orifice 40a (or the orifice 40a located opposite the orifice 42a): this is because the seal and the sleeve may expand differently depending on the temperature; if the orifice 42a is larger or wider (in the area it covers) than the orifice 40b, the expansion of the seal material will not obstruct the fluid flow. An example of this configuration is shown in Figure 5 and Figure 12C, in the case of a two-stage valve.

[0092] The invention, comprising the sealing material layer 42 and the liner material layer 40, also applies to a single-stage valve. Figure 5 shows, for a two-stage valve, the assembly comprising the core 4, the liner 40, and the sealing layer 42 assembled in the housing 2, which is shown in transparency. The orifice 42b is larger than the orifice 40b, for the reason explained above.

[0093] As illustrated in Figure 6, the sleeve may include means 44 that allow it to adapt to the thermal expansions of the distributor. These means allow it to follow any expansion and / or compression of the distributor's diameter, particularly when subjected to temperature variations. In the illustrated example, these means include zones, tabs, or lugs 44a, 44b, 44a', 44b', located along a generatrix of the cylinder formed by the sleeve, the thickness e of which is reduced relative to the thickness; these tabs or zones overlap each other over a portion of the sleeve's circumference. Such zones or tabs may be alternated along the axis XX'; for example:

[0094] - a part 44a of the jacket whose thickness is thinned from the inner surface comes opposite a part 44b of the jacket whose thickness is thinned from the outer surface;

[0095] - possibly a 2 ème part 44a' of the liner whose thickness is thinned from the outer surface extends part 44a along a generatrix of the cylinder formed by the liner and comes opposite part 44b' of the liner whose thickness is thinned from the inner surface; thus, it is possible to alternate, along a generatrix, portions of the liner which overlap 2 by 2.

[0096] These means are similar to a hydraulic piston segment with a 45 cutting line in the shape of a "Z" or a notch.

[0097] Such means 144a are also present in Figure 12E, in the form of a tongue or slot suitable for being inserted into a complementary form 145a which forms a housing for this tongue or slot.

[0098] Regardless of the design of the sleeve, the inner and / or outer surface of the cylinder of this sleeve may include one or more such tab(s) or slot(s) and the corresponding complementary shape(s) to accommodate this or these tab(s) or slot(s) while allowing adaptation to the thermal expansions of the distributor.

[0099] When the distributor expands, particularly due to increasing temperature, zones 44a and 44b, respectively 44a' and 44b', slide relative to each other along the circumference of the sleeve, allowing the sleeve to adapt to the expanded shape of the distributor. A reverse movement occurs during contraction, particularly due to decreasing temperature.

[0100] The seal 42 can be either assembled or overmolded onto the sleeve 40 or the body 8. It is also possible to manufacture the seal using an injection molding technique, particularly in the case of a thermoplastic material with a hardness, for example, between 40 and 80 Shore A. Alternatively, it is possible to perform a two-stage injection molding of the sleeve and the seal.

[0101] During its rotation, the distributor is in contact with the sleeve 40, for example, made of plastic, and not with the seal material 42 as is sometimes the case with known solutions. This reduces the coefficient of friction between the distributor material and the sleeve material. The coefficient of friction is related to the two materials in contact and their surface roughness. Reference can be made to charts showing the observed coefficients of friction for different material combinations. This significantly reduces the resistance torque on the distributor shaft, thus allowing for a reduction in the size and power consumption of the actuator in the drive unit.

[0102] Anti-rotation elements 46, 48 may be present on the body or on the shirt. Thus, as illustrated in Figure 4A:

[0103] - the inner surface of the housing 8 may be provided with one or more tab(s) or rib(s) 46 which penetrate(s) into one or more groove(s) formed in the gasket layer 42; and / or alternatively (not shown) the outer surface of the sleeve may be provided with one or more tab(s) or rib(s) which penetrate(s) into one or more groove(s) formed in the gasket layer 42;

[0104] - and / or the outer surface of the sleeve 40 may be provided with one or more tongue(s) or rib(s) 48 which penetrate(s) into one or more groove(s) formed in the joint layer 42.

[0105] Other such anti-rotation elements 141, 148 are visible on another embodiment, illustrated in figure 12D and commented on below.

[0106] The seal 42 is compressed between the body and the sleeve 40, itself under compression on the distributor 4.

[0107] Alternatively, as shown above in connection with Figure 3C, and as illustrated by an example later in this description, the housing 8 may have grooves (see also grooves 148' in Figure 3C) rather than tabs. Such grooves accommodate elements such as element 148 in Figure 12C. This reinforces the anti-rotation effect of the sleeve 40 and / or the seal 42.

[0108] The gap between the sleeve and the distributor is preferably zero, very small, for example less than or equal to 0.04 mm, so that their surfaces come into contact.

[0109] As explained above in relation to figure 6, the sleeve may include closure means to compensate for thermal expansion and diameter dispersion of the seal and other plastic components.

[0110] The seal between the different ports remains intact even when the distributor's position within the housing is changed. In Figure 7, the distributor surfaces in contact with the liner are represented by dashed lines. In fact, this includes all surfaces except those corresponding to ports 40a, 40b, etc., or to the core ports, and those where there is no contact with the liner. Alternatively, portions of the liner and / or seal could surround only areas around ports 40a, 40b, etc. These portions preferably surround ports 40a, 40b, etc., and the elastomer preferably fills the gaps sufficiently to ensure constant compression of the liner against the distributor. The seal is achieved by the asperities of the contacting surfaces.In this construction, it is then possible to maintain a maximum exchange of flows, for example between two paths A and B on the upper floor and to modify the position of the distributor to act on the redirection of flows from the lower floor.

[0111] The invention enables the implementation of rotary valve applications with a multiple number of ports (for example, more than 5). A valve according to the invention requires less drive torque than known type valves using elastomeric seals. It offers greater possibilities in terms of hydraulic flow redirection because it allows a redirection function to be combined with a control function, which, as explained above with reference to Figure 2, is impossible with traditional sealing solutions because two flows cannot be redirected independently.

[0112] A valve according to the invention can be actuated using a motor developing a torque of, for example, about 1 Nm, more generally, between 0.5 Nm and 1.5 Nm or even 5 Nm. Indeed, some applications, for example for "heavy goods vehicle" type vehicles, require more flow: the diameter of the distributor is then wider in order to limit pressure losses, with the consequence of this sizing being an increase in the blocking torque.

[0113] A valve according to the invention may have a single stage, but it is also well suited to the realization of a 2-stage assembly, a stage 4a forming, for example, a 3-way valve, and a stage 4b ​​forming, for example, a 4-way valve. Thus, the upper part of each of Figures 8A-8F represents, for 6 different states of the valve (each of these different states corresponds to a different figure among Figures 8A-8F), the different positions of the 3-way valve and the lower part of this same figure the different positions of the 4-way valve (note that the elements 47 (there are 4 in these figures but their number may be different) are reinforcements, not partitions separating compartments; the distributor directs the flow through its openings or windows, according to its position relative to the housing).This type of valve can therefore combine two functions, for example a proportionality function, using the 3-way part 4a of the valve, and a redirection function, using the 4-way part 4b. It can, for example, be integrated into a circuit such as the one shown in Figure 9, which includes:

[0114] - in part 4a of the circuit, a radiator 70, a pump 72, an electric motor 74, a radiator 75 and an expansion tank 76 and part 4a of the valve, whose 3 ways are designated by A, B, P; one or more converter(s) 71 AC / DC and 71a DC / DC may be in the path of the fluid (because they are to be cooled and are therefore present in the loop);

[0115] - in another part 4b, a pump 82, a cooler 84, a battery 86, a condenser 88 and part 4b of the valve, whose 4 ways are designated by C, D, E, F.

[0116] When ports E and F on the one hand, and C and D on the other, are connected, the battery 86 and the motor 74 are cooled independently. It may happen that the battery 86 needs to be warmed up, such as before starting a recharge. In this case, heat from the motor 74 and the converters 71, 71a will be transferred to the battery via the redirection of the 4-way valve (see, for example, the states in Figures 8D-8F).

[0117] Figure 10 shows, for each valve state, the percentage of communication for each of the channels A, B, P (these are lines P, A, B in the table in Figure 10) and how the CF channels communicate with each other (these are lines CDEF in the table in Figure 10). For example, in state "1" (that of Figure 8A):

[0118] - platforms P and B are fully open while platform A is closed;

[0119] - Track C communicates with track D and track E communicates with track F.

[0120] Several types of valves can be combined at the top and bottom, with N (N>1) ports at the top and M (M>1) ports at the bottom. For example, two redirection functions can be combined on the two floors to manage four flows independently.

[0121] Figures 8A - 8F, 9 and 10 describe the operation of a valve which is represented in figures 11-14C.

[0122] As shown in Figure 11, a distributor 104 for a two-stage valve has two stages separated by a wall 105 (perpendicular to the valve's axis of rotation). Each stage has conduits or chambers adapted to its function; for example, the upper stage may have three ports to perform a regulating function, and the lower stage may have four ports to perform a directing function. One or more stages, for example, a four-way stage, may have at least two sectors delimited by walls, but may also have only one sector to delimit the conduits or chambers of that stage. The wall 105 is also shown in Figure 3D.

[0123] A housing 1, 102 for a 2-stage valve has 2 stages as illustrated in figures 3C, 13, 14A, 14B. It is provided with the orifices or openings adapted to the corresponding function of the same stage of the distributor.

[0124] If, for example, port 14 of the valve in Figure 11 is a stage outlet port and port or inlet 22 of the valve in Figure 11 is an inlet port, outlet 14 and inlet 22 can be connected by a conduit to transfer fluid directly from outlet 14 to inlet 22.

[0125] A 2-stage valve, for example that of figure 11, may include a channel or conduit or orifice 107 in the wall which separates the 2 stages: thus a fluid can flow from one stage to the other, without passing through the outside of the valve.

[0126] Figures 11-13 and 14A-14C represent various aspects of a 2-stage valve in an embodiment according to the invention.

[0127] Thus, Figure 11 shows a cross-sectional view of this valve, showing the two-stage distributor 104, the sleeve 140, and the sealing layer 142. The sleeve and the layer are continuous from one stage to the next. Alternatively (not shown), it is possible to have different sleeve and sealing layers for the two stages, or layers that are not continuous from one stage to the next. This would also be more advantageous from a manufacturing standpoint, as material would only be placed where necessary. Figures 12A-12E show various aspects of a two-stage valve according to the invention:

[0128] - Figure 12A represents the joint layer 142;

[0129] - Figures 12B and 12E represent the 140 sleeve (and the core in the case of Figure 12B);

[0130] - Figures 12C and 12D represent the gasket layer mounted on the sleeve;

[0131] - Figures 12C and 12D represent the gasket layer 142 assembled on the sleeve 140 here, the diameter of the openings 142a, 142b made in this layer 142 is larger than that of the openings 140a, 140b made in the sleeve; this makes it possible not to obstruct the passage of the fluid in the case where the gasket and the sleeve expand differently depending on the temperature.

[0132] Here again, a peripheral lip can be formed around one or more of the ports 142b to improve the seal with the body. An exploded view of the entire distributor 104, the sleeve 140, and the sealing layer 142, arranged along the axis XX' between the housing 108 and the actuator 134, is shown in Figure 13. Reference numerals 117 and 130 designate, respectively, a seal and the end face of the distributor 104. Views of the valve assembled with the actuator 134 are shown in Figures 14A-14C, with Figure 14C showing a top view of the valve. Figure 14A indicates the inlets and outlets, which are those shown in Figures 8-10.

[0133] As can be seen in Figures 12A-12E and 13, the sleeve 140 and the seal 142 have a longitudinal opening 146, 144 along a generatrix of the cylinder formed by their surface. The sleeve, as well as that of Figure 3D, has two lips 141 arranged on either side of this opening, oriented outwards from the core, and against which the seal layer 142 rests. These lips prevent the seal 142 from rotating. This anti-rotation effect is even more pronounced if the lips come into contact with the inner surface of the housing.

[0134] The sleeve 140 may also include (or alternatively) a second anti-rotation element 148 (visible in figures 12D and 12E, but also in figure 3D) of seal, in this example arranged diametrically opposite to the lips 141. This second anti-rotation element 148 may fit into a groove such as groove 148' (figure 3C).

[0135] In the case of a valve with the structure illustrated in Figure 15A, comprising 2 inlet ports A and C and 2 outlet ports B and D, it is observed that the percentages of flow exchanges between ports A and B (Figure 15B, curve I) and between ports C and D (Figure 15B, curve II) evolve according to the position of the component 110 in the distributor: curves I and II show a progression which corresponds to the expected operation of this valve, which allows for the regulation of an exchange (in this case, it involves two flows which can be regulated in parallel).

[0136] Figure 16 is a hydraulic diagram for a valve like the one shown in Figures 8A–8F (this is also the case for Figure 9), with circular orifices (the result is different with elongated or oval orifices). The upper stage is the proportional stage (with ports P, B, A), and the lower stage is the redirection stage (with ports C, D, E, F), with ports A and D aligned in a vertical plane or in a plane containing the valve's axis of rotation.

[0137] Thus, in the left part of the diagram (angular position between

[0138] 0° and about 45°): - the exchange rate from channel P to channel A goes from 0% (angular position between 0° and about 10°, i.e. an angular interval or range Gl) to 100% (angular position between about 35° and about 45°, i.e. an angular interval or range G2), with a proportional zone which grows from 0 to 100% between these angular ranges;

[0139] - simultaneously, the exchange rate from lane P to lane B goes from 100% (angular position between 0° and about 10°, i.e. in the angular range Gl) to 0% (angular position between about 35° and about 45°, i.e. in the angular range G2), with a proportional zone that decreases from 100% to 0% between these angular ranges;

[0140] - simultaneously also, on the lower floor, the exchange rates of lane D to lane F and of lane C to lane E remain at 0% (angular position between 0° and approximately 45°) and those of lane C to lane D and of lane E to lane F remain at 100% (angular position between 0° and approximately 45°), i.e. throughout the angular interval G3 including Gl, G2 and the interval between them).

[0141] In the right-hand part of the diagram (angular position between approximately 85° and approximately 130°):

[0142] - the exchange rate from lane P to lane A goes from 0% (angular position between 85° and about 95°, i.e. an angular interval or range G'1) to 100% (angular position between about 120° and about 130°, i.e. an angular interval or range G'2), with a proportional zone which grows from 0 to 100% between these angular ranges;

[0143] - simultaneously, the exchange rate from lane P to lane B goes from 100% (angular position between 85° and about 95°, i.e. in the angular range G'1) to 0% (angular position between about 120° and about 130°, i.e. in the angular range G'2), with a proportional zone that decreases from 100% to 0% between these angular ranges; note that there is a transition in a "non-functional" zone, here between 45° and 90°, zone in which the passage from 0 to 100% has not been represented on the curve but simply replaced by a grey area;

[0144] - simultaneously also, on the lower floor, the exchange rates of track D to track F and of track C to track E remain at 100% (angular position between approximately 85° and approximately 130°) and those of track C to track D and of track E to track F remain at 0% (angular position between 85° and approximately 130°), i.e. throughout the angular interval G'3 including G'1, G'2 and the interval between them); note that, here again, there is a transition in a "non-functional" zone, here between 45° and 90°, a zone in which the passage from 0 to 100% is not represented on the curve but simply replaced by a grey area.

[0145] These diagrams show that, within certain angular ranges, changes in flow in the proportional stage do not affect the distribution in the redirection stage.

[0146] These diagrams also show that it is possible to combine, in the same 2-stage valve, on the one hand an orientation function (with one stage) and on the other hand a regulation function (with the other stage).

[0147] In the valves described above, and for some of the valves shown, a valve with one inlet and two outlets is used for fluid regulation. However, an alternative configuration with one inlet and one outlet is possible; this is the case, for example, when replacing a thermostatic valve (which regulates itself according to the temperature) with a two-way proportional valve.

Claims

Demands 1. Hydraulic rotary valve comprising a housing (2, 102) and a distributor (4, 104), said housing (2, 102) comprising a side wall (8, 108), delimited by two ends (16', 20), the entirety of the side wall and the two ends (16', 20) delimiting a hydraulic chamber, in which is housed the distributor (4, 104) adapted to rotate in said chamber about an axis (XX') of rotation, the housing (2, 102) comprising at least 2 orifices (14, 24), which open into the hydraulic chamber, the distributor comprising a side surface (32), in contact with a sleeve (40, 140), which is applied against said side surface of the distributor, is in constant contact with it and is uniformly compressed all around the distributor, this sleeve being itself covered with a seal (42, 142) in contact with the side wall (8, 108) of the housing (2, 102), the sleeve and the seal being fixed relative to the housing, the lateral surface of the housing,the contact surface between the seal and the liner and the contact surface between the seal and the internal surface of the housing being parallel to each other, these surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to a direction of fluid flow in the distributor and substantially parallel to the axis of rotation (XX') of the distributor in the housing, the distributor (4, 104) further comprising an inlet opening of a channel, at least one lateral outlet of this channel, and allowing one of the at least 2 orifices (14, 24) of the housing to be supplied from the other orifice, depending on the angular position of the distributor in the housing.

2. Hydraulic rotary valve according to claim 1, the seal being assembled or overmolded onto the sleeve.

3. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 or 2, the sleeve (40, 140) and the seal each having at least one orifice (40a, 40b, 42a, 42b, 140a, 140b, 142a) corresponding to an orifice of the housing.

4. Hydraulic rotary valve according to claim 3, at least one of the orifices (42a, 42b, 142a) of the seal being of a maximum dimension greater than that of the orifice of the sleeve opposite which it is located.

5. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the side wall (8, 108) of the housing (2, 102) and / or the sleeve further comprising at least one anti-rotation element (46) of the seal.

6. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising at least one anti-rotation element (48) of the sleeve.

7. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the sleeve further comprising means (44a, 44b, 44a', 44b') which enable it to adapt to the thermal expansions of the distributor.

8. Hydraulic rotary valve according to claim 7, the sleeve having at least one tab (144a) or at least one slotted element which allows it to adapt to the thermal expansions of the distributor.

9. Hydraulic rotary valve according to claim 7 or 8, the sleeve having at least one tab or lug (44a, 44b, 44a', 44b') along a generatrix of the cylinder formed by the sleeve.

10. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the sleeve being made of a material with a Young's modulus of less than 6000 MPa.

11. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the sleeve being made of a polymer material, for example of an unfilled or unfibrous polyamide, or of POM (or Polyoxymethylene).

12. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising means (34, 134) for actuating the distributor, for example a geared motor (MR), providing a torque between 0.5 and 5 Nm 13. Motorized hydraulic rotary valve according to the preceding claim, the actuator comprising an output shaft aligned along the axis (XX') of rotation.

14. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising at least 2 stages.

15. Hydraulic rotary valve according to the preceding claim, one stage having at least 3 orifices and another stage having at least 4 orifices.

16. Hydraulic rotary valve according to claim 14 or 15, at least one outlet (14) of one stage being directly connected to an inlet (22) of the other stage.

17. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 14 to 16, comprising a conduit or a channel (107) of internal fluidic communication between said at least 2 stages.

18. Hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 14 to 17, comprising a so-called proportional stage, which distributes a fluid proportionally, and a so-called redirection stage, which provides a redirection function.

19. Hydraulic rotary valve according to claim 18, the proportional stage comprising 3 ports (P, B, A) and the redirection stage comprising 4 ports (C, D, E, F): * the exchange rate from lane P to lane A changing from 0% for at least one l ère angular range G1 = [al, bl] at 100% for at least one 2 èmeangular range G2 = [a2, b2], G2 different from G1 and not covering G1 (a2>bl), with a proportional orientation of the fluid from P to A which increases from 0 to 100% between these angular ranges, from G1 to G2; * the exchange rate from lane P to lane B increasing from 100% for at least the l ère angular range G1 at 0% for at least the 2 ème angular range G2, with a proportional orientation of the fluid from P to B which decreases from 100% to 0% between these angular ranges, from G1 to G2; - and / or, at the redirection stage, the exchange rates from route D to route F and from route C to route E remain at 0%, for at least one 3 ème angular range G3, which contains G1 and G2 and the interval bl-a2 that separates them, and that of channel C to channel D and of channel E to channel F remain at 100% for at least the 3 ème angular range G3.

20. A hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 19, one end (16') of the housing having a wall (16), the other end (20) having a wall or at least one opening (20a) for fluid circulation.

21. A hydrogen fuel cell cooling circuit or thermal management circuit, for example of a battery-powered vehicle, comprising at least one hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of the preceding claims.

22. Method of distributing a fluid using a hydraulic rotary valve according to any one of claims 1 to 20, the fluid being introduced through an orifice of the housing, and being guided by the channel of the distributor and then, depending on the orientation of the distributor in the housing (2, 102), towards another of the orifices of the housing.

23. Method according to claim 22, the fluid being air or water or a mixture of water and glycol or simple oil or a dielectric fluid.

24. Method according to claim 22, the fluid being a fuel cell cooling fluid.

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