Integrated flow control valve and engine system including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10890100-B2
Application number	US-201916430141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2019
Priority date	Oct 26, 2018
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

Abstract

The integrated flow control valve according to the present disclosure is a cam-lift type integrated flow control valve, and an additional valve is integrally formed with at least one of a plurality of valves, this additional valve is configured to be moved upward and downward in response to vertical movement of the corresponding valve to open and close an additional outlet except for a plurality of outlets which are opened and closed by the plurality of valves. In an engine system according to the present disclosure, a flow of coolant flowing into a heater, an oil cooler, a radiator and an exhaust gas heat exchanger in the engine system is integratedly controlled through control of the above described integrated control valve, so that it is possible to effectively control a flow rate of coolant as well as a temperature of coolant.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An integrated flow control valve comprising:
a valve housing having an inlet into which fluid flows and a plurality of first outlets from which fluid is discharged;
a cam part provided in the valve housing and configured to be rotated by receiving rotational force generated by a driving means;
a plurality of pivot arm portions disposed below the cam part, each of the plurality of pivot arm portions being configured to allow one end portion to be moved in a vertical direction by rotation of the cam part; and
a plurality of first valves provided at the one end portion of each of the plurality of pivot arm portions, respectively, the first valves being configured to be moved together according to movement of the pivot arm portions,
wherein the plurality of first outlets are selectively opened and closed, respectively, according to vertical movements of each of the plurality of first valves caused by rotation of the cam part,
wherein a second valve is integrally formed with at least one of the plurality of first valves, and the second valve is configured to be moved upward and downward in response to vertical movement of the corresponding first valve to open and close a second outlet,
wherein the pivot arm portion comprises an extended pivot arm portion which extends downward from a lower end of at least one of the plurality of first valves, and the second valve is provided at a lower end portion of the extended pivot arm portion,
wherein the valve housing is provided with an inflow chamber formed therein and configured to allow fluid to flow thereinto through the inlet,
wherein the plurality of first outlets are arranged on a first side of the inflow chamber to enable outflow of fluid from the inflow chamber, and the second outlets are arranged on a second side of the inflow chamber to enable outflow of fluid from the inflow chamber,
wherein the plurality of first valves are provided to control outflow of fluid through the plurality of respective first outlets and at least one second valve, which is formed attached to the lower end portion of the extended pivot arm portion of the respective first valve, is provided to control outflow of fluid through the plurality of respective second outlets,
wherein movement of the plurality of first valves away from the first side of the inflow chamber towards the second side of the inflow chamber opens the plurality of respective first outlets and causes the at least one second valve to close at least one corresponding second outlet, and
wherein a valve spring holder portion is provided above the second outlet, and a valve return spring is provided in a state where both end portions in a vertical direction are in contact with the second valve and the valve spring holder portion, respectively.

2. An engine system comprising;
an engine for driving a vehicle;
an integrated flow control valve formed according to claim 1 , the integrated flow control valve being configured to selectively circulate coolant, which has passed through the engine and is supplied through the inlet, into at least one of an oil cooler and a heater through the plurality of first outlets;
an exhaust gas heat exchanger configured to heat-exchange exhaust gas generated by combustion of fuel in the engine with coolant discharged from the second outlet of the integrated flow control valve, and to supply coolant, which has been heat-exchanged with exhaust gas, to the oil cooler or the heater; and
a controller configured to control rotation of the cam part for controlling an open and close state of the integrated flow control valve,
wherein the second valve of the integrated flow control valve opens and closes the second outlet through which coolant is discharged to the exhaust gas heat exchanger.

3. The engine system of claim 2 , wherein the integrated flow control valve further comprises an outlet through which coolant flowed thereinto is discharged to at least one of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler and a radiator, and the outlet is opened and closed by the plurality of first valves to control a circulation of coolant into at least one of the EGR cooler and the radiator.

4. The engine system of claim 2 , wherein when coolant is in a cold state in which a temperature of coolant is below a first temperature, the controller controls the integrated flow control valve so that all of the valves of the integrated flow control valve including the second valve are closed to halt discharge of coolant which has flowed into the integrated flow control valve.

5. The engine system of claim 2 , wherein the second valve is integrally formed with the first valve that opens and closes an outlet through which coolant is discharged to the heater, and the controller controls the integrated flow control valve so that, when coolant is in a warm state in which a temperature of coolant exceeds the first temperature, and the heater is in an operation state, the second outlet is opened while the outlet through which coolant is discharged to the heater is closed.

6. The engine system of claim 2 , wherein the second valve is integrally formed with the first valve that opens and closes an outlet through which coolant is discharged to the oil cooler, and the controller controls the integrated flow control valve so that, when coolant is in a warm state in which a temperature of coolant exceeds the first temperature, and a temperature of oil passing through the oil cooler is below a predetermined temperature, the second outlet is opened while the outlet through which coolant is discharged to the oil cooler is closed.

7. The engine system of claim 2 , wherein the controller controls the integrated flow control valve so that, when coolant is in a hot state in which a temperature of coolant exceeds a second temperature, all of the plurality of first valves are in an opened state.

8. The engine system of claim 2 , wherein a valve housing of the integrated flow control valve and the exhaust gas heat exchanger are integrally formed with each other.

9. The engine system of claim 2 , wherein a separate preheating device is provided on a coolant flow passage in a valve housing of the integrated flow control valve.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Lee Hyo-Jo

Classifications

• F16K31/52408

  comprising a lift valve · CPC title

• F16K11/165 Primary

  with the rotating spindles parallel to the closure members · CPC title

• F02M26/28

  with liquid-cooled heat exchangers · CPC title

• F01P2060/04

  Lubricant cooler · CPC title

• F01P7/14 Primary

  the coolant being liquid · CPC title