Modular electro-mechanical rotary valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344883-B2
Application number	US-201615341622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2016
Priority date	Nov 2, 2016
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A modular electro-mechanical rotary valve (EMRV) designed to be installed and removed as a unit is provided. The modular EMRV includes a valve enclosure, at least one rotary valve body with at least one fluid pathway, and an actuator assembly. The valve enclosure, removably disposed within a mating cavity, includes a central axis, at least one inlet, at least one outlet, a hollow center, and at least one exterior seal interface to sealingly engage with at least one interior seal interface of the mating cavity. The at least one rotary valve body is disposed within the hollow center of the valve enclosure. The actuator assembly is engaged with an actuator interface of the at least one rotary valve body, providing rotational actuation. Various angular positions of the at least one rotary valve body are possible to manage fluid flow within a fluid system.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. An electro-mechanical rotary valve configured to be installed and removed as a unit, comprising:
a valve enclosure arranged to be disposed within a mating cavity, the valve enclosure having:
a central axis;
at least one inlet;
at least one outlet;
a hollow center; and,
at least one exterior seal interface;

at least one rotary valve body, disposed within the hollow center, the at least one rotary valve body having:
at least one fluid pathway;
a central axis; and,
an actuator interface; and,

an actuator assembly engaged with the actuator interface, the actuator assembly having an actuator configured to be provided electronic communication from an electronic controller to move the at least one rotary valve body to a selected one of any angular position and stop at a selected one of any angular position within a continuous range of angular positions.

2. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 1 , wherein the at least one exterior seal interface is arranged at least partially circumferentially around the valve enclosure.

3. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one inlet comprises a plurality of inlets; and,
the at least one exterior seal interface sealingly isolates the plurality of inlets.

4. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 1 , wherein the central axis of the at least one rotary valve body is offset from the central axis of the valve enclosure.

5. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly is further comprised of a gear train actuated by the actuator.

6. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 5 , wherein the actuator assembly is further comprised of a drive shaft, a first end of the drive shaft engaged with the gear train and a second end of the drive shaft engaged with the actuator interface.

7. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 1 , wherein the at least one inlet is radially arranged on the valve enclosure.

8. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 7 , wherein the actuator assembly is arranged at a first end of the valve enclosure and the at least one outlet is arranged at a second end of the valve enclosure.

9. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 8 , wherein:
the at least one rotary valve body is comprised of one rotary valve body;
the at least one fluid pathway is comprised of one fluid pathway;
the at least one inlet is comprised of one inlet;
the at least one outlet is comprised of one outlet; and,
the at least one exterior seal interface is comprised of:
a first exterior seal interface arranged between the actuator assembly and the inlet; and,
a second exterior seal interface arranged between the inlet and the second end of the valve enclosure.

10. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 9 , including:
a first rotational position of the rotary valve body that allows full fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet;
a second rotational position of the rotary valve body that prevents fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet; and,
an intermediate rotational position that throttles fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet.

11. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 8 , wherein:
the at least one rotary valve body is comprised of one rotary valve body;
the at least one fluid pathway is comprised of a first fluid pathway arranged within a first portion of the rotary valve body and a second fluid pathway arranged within a second portion of the rotary valve body;
the at least one inlet is comprised of a first inlet and a second inlet;
the at least one outlet is comprised of one outlet;
the at least one exterior seal interface is comprised of:
a first exterior seal interface arranged between the actuator assembly and the first inlet;
a second exterior seal interface arranged between the first inlet and the second inlet; and,
a third exterior seal interface arranged between the second inlet and the second end of the valve enclosure.

12. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 11 , including:
a first rotational position of the rotary valve body that allows fluid flow from the first and second inlets to the outlet;
a second rotational position of the rotary valve body that prevents fluid flow from the first and second inlets to the outlet; and,
a first intermediate rotational position of the rotary valve body that allows fluid flow from one of the first or second inlet to the outlet, and prevents fluid flow from the other of the first or second inlet to the outlet.

13. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 12 , including:
a second intermediate rotational position of the rotary valve body that throttles fluid flow from either the first inlet to the outlet or the second inlet to the outlet.

14. An electro-mechanical rotary valve configured to be installed and removed as a unit, comprising:
a valve enclosure disposed within a mating cavity, the valve enclosure having:
a central axis;
at least one inlet;
at least one outlet;
a hollow center; and,
at least one exterior seal interface to sealingly engage with at least one interior seal interface within the mating cavity;

at least one rotary valve body, disposed within the hollow center, the at least one rotary valve body having:
at least one fluid pathway; and,
an actuator interface; and,

an actuator assembly engaged with the actuator interface, the actuator assembly having an actuator configured to be provided electronic communication from an electronic controller to move the at least one rotary valve body to a selected one of any angular position and stop at a selected one of any angular position within a continuous range of angular positions.

15. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 14 , further comprising at least one seal arranged between the at least one exterior seal interface and the at least one interior seal interface.

16. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 14 , wherein the mating cavity is configured within a powertrain component.

17. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 14 , wherein the mating cavity is a fluid terminal for at least two intersecting fluid flow paths.

18. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 14 , wherein the mating cavity extends inwardly from an outer wall of a receiving structure.

19. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 14 , wherein the mating cavity protrudes outwardly from an outer wall of a receiving structure.

20. The electro-mechanical rotary valve of claim 14 , wherein the mating cavity and the valve enclosure are cylindrical.

Assignees

• Schaeffler Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Brazas Peter
• Novinski Tracy

Classifications

• F01P7/14 Primary

  the coolant being liquid · CPC title

• F16K31/043

  characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means · CPC title

• F16K11/0876

  one connecting conduit having the same axis as the spindle · CPC title

• F16K27/067 Primary

  with spherical plugs · CPC title

• F01P7/16

  by thermostatic control · CPC title