Thermal bypass valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317918-B2
Application number	US-201715587801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2017
Priority date	May 31, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A thermal bypass valve includes a housing defining a bore along a longitudinal axis and having two inlet ports and two outlet ports; a cap disposed within the bore; a shuttle disposed within the bore and reversibly translatable towards and away from the cap along the longitudinal axis between a first fill position, a cooling position, and a bypass position; and an actuator configured for translating the shuttle along the longitudinal axis between the cooling position and the bypass position. The actuator is formed from a shape memory alloy and is transitionable between a first state and a second state in response to a temperature of the fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal bypass valve configured for selectively directing a flow of a fluid from a device to a cooler, the thermal bypass valve comprising:
a housing having a capped end, a longitudinal axis, and a non-capped end spaced apart from the capped end along the longitudinal axis, the housing defining:
a bore extending along the longitudinal axis;
a first inlet port disposed in fluid communication with the bore;
a second outlet port disposed in fluid communication with the bore and selectively disposable in fluid communication with the first inlet port;
a third inlet port disposed in fluid communication with the bore and selectively disposable in fluid communication with the second outlet port; and
a fourth outlet port disposed in fluid communication with the bore and the third inlet port, and selectively disposable in fluid communication with the first inlet port;
a cap disposed within the bore at the capped end;
a shuttle disposed within the bore and reversibly translatable towards and away from the cap along the longitudinal axis between:
a first fill position in which:
the first inlet port is disposed in fluid communication with both the second outlet port and the fourth outlet port; and
the third inlet port is disposed in fluid communication with the second outlet port;

a cooling position in which:
the first inlet port is disposed in fluid communication with the fourth outlet port; and
the third inlet port is disposed in fluid communication with the second outlet port; and

a bypass position in which:
the first inlet port is disposed in fluid communication with the second outlet port; and

an actuator configured for translating the shuttle along the longitudinal axis between the cooling position and the bypass position, wherein the actuator is formed from a shape memory alloy and is transitionable between a first state and a second state in response to a temperature of the fluid.

2. The thermal bypass valve of claim 1 , wherein the shape memory alloy transitions between the first state and the second state to translate the shuttle from the bypass position to the cooling position.

3. The thermal bypass valve of claim 1 , further including a bias resilient member attached to the shuttle and configured for translating the shuttle along the longitudinal axis from the cooling position to the bypass position as the shape memory alloy cools.

4. The thermal bypass valve of claim 3 , wherein the shuttle is configured as a cylinder, defines a first cavity therein along the longitudinal axis, and has a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end;
wherein the cap defines a second cavity therein and has a third end and a fourth end spaced apart from the third end; and
further wherein the bias resilient member is disposed within the first cavity and the second cavity, extends from the first end, and is attached to the second end and the third end.

5. The thermal bypass valve of claim 4 , wherein the housing defines a shoulder that is aligned with the first end when the shuttle is disposed in the cooling position.

6. The thermal bypass valve of claim 3 , wherein the housing includes a first ramp disposed within the bore.

7. The thermal bypass valve of claim 3 , wherein the cap further defines a conduit therein along the longitudinal axis that is configured for transmitting the fluid from the first inlet port to the second outlet port when the shuttle is disposed in one of the first fill position and the bypass position.

8. The thermal bypass valve of claim 7 , wherein the shuttle defines a first channel therein that is coaxial with the conduit;
wherein the shuttle has a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end;
wherein the cap defines a second channel therein along the longitudinal axis and has a third end and a fourth end spaced apart from the third end; and
further wherein the bias resilient member is disposed within the first channel and the second channel and extends from the first end and the fourth end.

9. The thermal bypass valve of claim 3 , wherein the second outlet port is disposed at the non-capped end;
wherein the third inlet port is disposed at the non-capped end and is disposed between the first inlet port and the non-capped end;
wherein the fourth outlet port is disposed at the capped end; and
further wherein the shuttle is disposed within the bore between the cap and the non-capped end.

10. The thermal bypass valve of claim 9 , wherein the shuttle has a first end, a second end spaced apart from the first end, and a flange disposed between the first end and the second end;
wherein the cap has a third end and a fourth end spaced apart from the third end;
wherein the bias resilient member is coiled about the shuttle at the second end; and
further wherein the actuator is coiled about the shuttle and disposed between the flange and the cap at the first end.

11. The thermal bypass valve of claim 10 , wherein the second end seals against the housing and the first end is spaced apart from the cap when the shuttle is disposed in the cooling position so that the fluid flows to the cooler.

12. The thermal bypass valve of claim 10 , wherein the first end seals against the cap and the second end is spaced apart from the housing when the shuttle is disposed in the bypass position so that the fluid does not flow to the cooler.

13. The thermal bypass valve of claim 10 , wherein the first end is spaced apart from the cap and the second end is spaced apart from the housing when the shuttle is disposed in the first fill position so that the fluid flows to the cooler.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc
• Dynalloy Inc

Inventors

• Gao Xiujie
• Rober Kevin B
• Lopes Marco A
• Johnson Nancy L
• Smith Anthony L
• Pinto Nicholas W
• Skurkis Richard J
• Ownby Tyler P

Classifications

• G05D23/1333

  measuring the temperature of incoming fluid · CPC title

• F16K31/002 Primary

  actuated by temperature variation (thermo-electric F16K31/025) · CPC title

• F16K11/044 Primary

  with movable valve members positioned between valve seats · CPC title

• G05D23/1852 Primary

  with sensing element expanding and contracting in response to change of temperature · CPC title