Multi-port valve, and thermal management system provided with same and application thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12320432-B2
Application number	US-202318486551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2023
Priority date	Apr 13, 2021
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A multi-port valve includes a valve housing and a valve core. The valve housing is provided with a plurality of outer ports, at least part of which is arranged at an axial end of the valve housing. The valve core is provided with a plurality of inner ports, at least part of which is arranged at an axial end of the valve core. A plurality of flow channels extends through the valve core, whereas the flow channels are fluidly separated from one another inside the valve core. The plurality of the flow channels includes at least two cross-channels intersecting with each other in a projection plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the valve core. Each of the flow channels communicates with two of the inner ports. At least part of the inner ports is aligned and communicated with the corresponding outer ports in response to the valve core rotating to a desired position as regarded to the valve housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multi-port valve comprising:
a valve housing and a valve core rotatably housed in the valve housing, both the valve housing and the valve core being substantially cylindrical; the valve housing be provided with a plurality of outer ports, at least part of which being arranged at an axial end of the valve housing; the valve core being provided with a plurality of inner ports, at least part of which being arranged at an axial end of the valve core; a plurality of flow channels extending through the valve core, whereas the flow channels are fluidly separated from one another inside the valve core, the plurality of the flow channels comprising at least two cross-channels intersecting with each other in a projection plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the valve core; each of the flow channels communicating with two of the inner ports; at least part of the inner ports being aligned and communicated with the corresponding outer ports in response to the valve core rotating to a desired position as regarded to the valve housing; said at least two cross-channels extend to and communicate with the inner ports that are discharging at the same axial end of the valve core.

2. The multi-port valve according to claim 1 , characterized in that said at least two cross-channels are offset from each other in a circumferential direction of the valve core.

3. The multi-port valve according to claim 1 , characterized in that each of said at least two cross-channels comprises at least one axial-extension segment communicating with the corresponding one of the inner ports at the axial end of the valve core and a transverse-extension segment extending perpendicularly to a rotation axis of valve core.

4. The multi-port valve according to claim 3 , characterized in that the transverse-extension segments of said at least two cross-channels are displaced from each other in an axial direction of the valve core, and intersect with each other in the projection plane perpendicularly to the rotation axis of the valve core.

5. The multi-port valve according to claim 4 , characterized in that each of said at least two cross-channels comprises two axial-extension segments respectively extending from opposite ends of the corresponding transverse-extension segment thereof.

6. The multi-port valve according to claim 5 , characterized in that the plurality of the flow channels further comprises a non-cross-channel comprising a transverse-extension segment and two axial-extension segments extending from opposite ends of the transverse-extension segment thereof, the transverse-extension segment of the non-cross-channel does not intersect with each of the transverse-extension of said at least two cross-channels in the projection plane perpendicularly to the rotation axis of the valve core.

7. The multi-port valve according to claim 6 , characterized in that the transverse-extension segments of the flow channels are all spaced apart from the periphery of the valve core.

8. The multi-port valve according to claim 7 , characterized in that the valve core comprises a cylindrical base and a first end plate and a second end plate respectively fixed on opposite axial ends of the cylindrical base, two grooves are respectively provided in opposite axial ends of the base to respectively form the transverse-extension segments of the two cross-channels, and closed by the first end plate and the second end plate.

9. The multi-port valve according to claim 8 , characterized in that the transverse-extension segment of one of the cross-channels and the transverse-extension segment of the non-cross-channel are respectively formed by separated grooves in the same end face of the cylindrical base.

10. The multi-port valve according to claim 8 , characterized in that the first end plate ( 24 a ) defines a plurality of notches to form the inner ports of the valve core.

11. The multi-port valve according to claim 3 , characterized in that one of the flow channels comprises a radial-extension segment extending from the transverse-extension segment thereof, one of the inner ports is defined in a circumferential wall of the valve core to be communicated with the radial-extension segment; one of the outer ports is defined in a circumferential wall of the valve housing to be aligned and communicated with the inner port in the circumferential wall of the valve core in response to a desired rotation position of the valve core.

12. The multi-port valve according to claim 1 , characterized in that the multi-port valve further comprises a sealing member sandwiched between the axial ends of the valve housing and valve core respectively provided with the outer ports and the inner ports.

13. The multi-port valve according to claim 12 , characterized in that the sealing member is made from rubber, the sealing member is fixed to the housing, and a polytetrafluoroethylene layer is coated on the side of the sealing member facing the valve core.

14. The multi-port valve according to claim 1 , characterized in that the valve core is connected to a motor ( 800 ) to drive the valve core to rotate in the valve housing.

15. A thermal management system, comprising the multi-port valve according to claim 1 and a plurality of cooling fluid circuits correspondingly connecting with the outer ports of the valve housing, one or more of the cooling fluid circuits forms a closed cooling loop via the multi-port valve.

16. The thermal management system according to claim 15 , configured to be used to regulate temperature of cooling loops in a vehicle.

Assignees

• Johnson Electric Int Ag

Inventors

• Qu Tao
• Ren Yanping
• Qin Ruifeng

Classifications

• F16K31/041

  for rotating valves (F16K31/055 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60H1/00485

  Valves for air-conditioning devices, e.g. thermostatic valves · CPC title

• F16K3/314

  Forms or constructions of slides; Attachment of the slide to the spindle · CPC title

• F16K11/085

  with cylindrical plug · CPC title

• F16K27/045

  with pivotal obturating members · CPC title