EP1693623A1 - Temperature controlled security drain valve - Google Patents

Abstract

Temperature-controlled safety drain valve has fluid conduit (36) with discharge opening (37) which has sealing seat which works together with sealing element (41) for its fluid-tight closing and/or opening. Shifting element is fixed on housing (33) of safety drain valve. A plunger (59), which acts up on movable shifting element, is pre-stressed using elastic spring element (69). A plunger (59), which acts up on movable shifting element, is pre-stressed between the shifting elements using elastic spring element (69) against the magnetic attractive force. A lever arrangement (51,52,47) transfers a movement of the plunger on the sealing element for the fluid-tight closing and/or opening of the discharge opening. An independent claim is also included for the fluid distribution system.

Description

The present invention is in the technical field of safety valves and more particularly relates to a temperature-controlled safety relief valve for discharging liquid or gaseous fluids from a fluid-conducting manifold system.

In vehicles with separate hot water or hot air generation, such as caravan, motorhome, truck or boat, it is common practice to provide a gas or electric heating, in which a connected piping system warm water or warm air is distributed to different consumers. For example, in a caravan or motorhome, warm water heated by a gas heater is provided in a camping kitchen or in a camping shower.

Here, however, the problem arises that at cold ambient temperatures below freezing, the water in the gas or electric heating or in the piping system freeze and thereby damage the heating system or at least put out of order. Since hot water generated by a gas or electric heater should generally have drinking quality, it is not possible to use (harmful) antifreeze.

Therefore, in order to avoid freezing of the water, it is customary to drain the water from the heating system at low ambient temperatures, for which purpose special safety relief valves are provided, which open an outlet opening provided in the pipeline system below an adjustable ambient temperature for this purpose.

A safety drain valve for discharging an aqueous fluid (water) from a heating system, as sold in large numbers by the Applicant for several years, is shown in Figure 1 in a sectional view. Accordingly, in a housing 1 of the safety relief valve, a coil 20 secured to the housing 1 via coil holders 24 is provided with an armature 17 movably guided within the coil 20. The armature 17 is in this case guided out of the coil 20 (in FIG biased down). With appropriate energization of the coil 20 while the armature 17 is pulled into the coil 20. The armature 17 is further provided with a connecting element 22 provided by which it is connected to the toggle lever joint 12 of a toggle lever, that is, the toggle lever (in Fig. 1 down) bends when the armature 17 is pressed out of the coil 20 due to the spring action of the coil spring 19. So that the knee lever can be bent, a cavity 16 is provided in the housing 1 of the safety valve.

Furthermore, one toggle lever arm 11 of the toggle lever is fastened via an articulated connection 13 to the housing 1 by means of fastening struts 23, while the other toggle lever arm 10 is articulated to a push rod 6 via an articulated connection formed by a staking pin 9. By bending or stretching the toggle lever with the two toggle arms 10, 11 is thus a pulling action or a pressure effect on the push rod 6 exerted, which is connected at its end with a pressure piece 5, which via a into a corresponding Aufnehmung a sealing membrane. 4 gripping pressure piece nose 29 is connected thereto. The sealing membrane 4 can be pressed by a movement of the pressure piece, which is triggered by bending and stretching the toggle lever with the Kniebhebelarms 10, 11 and a corresponding movement of the push rod 6, to a sealing seat 31 of a discharge opening 2 of a fluid-conducting pipe section 14 or thereof be removed.

When the sealing membrane 4 is pressed onto its sealing seat 31, the discharge opening 2 of the fluid pipe 14 is closed in a fluid-tight manner (closed position of the safety drain valve), while when the sealing membrane 4 is removed from its sealing seat 31, the discharge opening 2 is open and fluid from the fluid pipe 14 can pass through a fluid-conducting connection 32 in a discharge pipe 3 (opening position of the safety relief valve).

The pressure piece 5 is further elastically biased by a coil spring 7 against an adjusting nut 8 and can be moved against the push rod 6 against the spring action of the coil spring 7, whereby a positive pressure opening function of the safety valve is ensured. The biasing spring force of the coil spring 7 can be adjusted via an adjustment of the adjusting nut 8. The passing through the adjusting nut 8 push rod 6 is guided via the adjusting nut 8 in a guide 30 of the housing 1 movable.

Furthermore, the fluid-conducting pipe section 14 with its discharge opening 2 and the discharge pipe 3 are made in one piece in the form of a T-piece and clamped by a wire clamp 31 to the housing 1 of the safety relief valve.

To that in FIG. 1 to bring the safety discharge valve shown in a closed position in which the discharge port 2 of the fluid conducting pipe section 14 is fluid-tightly closed by the sealing membrane 4, the user must first pull on the handle 28, whereby the armature 17 is moved against the spring force of the coil spring 19 upwards. At the same time, a stop 26 carried along by the armature 17 strikes against a wire bracket 27 interacting with an electronic control unit 25, which causes the coil 20 to be energized in a suitable manner so that the armature 17 is activated by the magnetic action of the coil 20 in the coil 20 is held. As a result of the movement of the armature 17 (in FIG. 1 upward), the toggle lever with the two toggle arms 10, 11 is stretched simultaneously via the armature connection 22, so that the membrane 4 is pressed onto its sealing seat 31 and closes off the drain opening 2 of the fluid tube 14 in a fluid-tight manner ,

In the control electronics 25 also includes a temperature sensor, not shown, by which an energizing of the coil 20 is suppressed at a preset ambient temperature, so that the armature 17 by the force of the coil spring 19 is pressed out of the coil 20 (in FIG below), the toggle is bent with the two toggle arms 10, 11, and the membrane 4 is removed from its sealing seat 31, so that the discharge opening 2 of the fluid pipe 14 is open and fluid can be discharged through the discharge pipe 3.

Although in FIG. 1 safety discharge valve works reliably and safely, was the user side often expressed the desire for a de-energized, purely mechanical safety relief valve, as by the constant energization of the coil while a smaller, but not negligible power consumption, which is when the engine of the battery of the vehicle must be worn. In addition, it has been found that due to the unavoidable heating of the coil in the safety relief valve, the thermal sensor perceives a higher ambient temperature than the actual conditions, so that there is at least the risk of triggering if the actual ambient temperature is too low. Furthermore, the unfavorable case may occur that when switching on a plurality of electrical consumers voltage peaks in the electrical system on board, through which the safety relief valve can be triggered inadvertently due to low power, with the unpleasant consequence that the safety relief valve by hand again in a closed position and , if necessary, the heating system must be refilled.

In contrast, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved safety relief valve, with which the disadvantages can be avoided.

This object is achieved according to the proposal of the invention by a safety relief valve with the features of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are given by the features of the subclaims.

According to the invention, there is shown a temperature controlled safety drain valve for draining fluids from a fluid conduit which includes a fluid conduit (eg, a length of tubing or tubing) having a discharge opening having a sealing seat which cooperates with a sealing member for fluid-tight closing or opening of the discharge opening in such a way that the discharge opening is closed in a fluid-tight manner by pressing the sealing element onto the sealing seat (closed position of the safety drain valve), while the discharge opening is fluid-conducting open by removal of the sealing element from the sealing seat (opening position of the safety drain valve). Furthermore, the safety relief valve according to the invention comprises a housing-fixed switching element with respect to a housing of the safety relief valve and a switching element fixed to the housing relative to this movable switching element, which magnetically attract each other, ie. H. a magnetically attractive interaction is present. According to the invention, one of the two switching elements is a hard ferrite magnet and the other switching element is an armature, d. H. a component that can interact magnetically with the magnet.

The above designation "switching element" for the hard ferrite magnet or the armature is chosen only for the purpose of being able to describe in a simple way that either the hard ferrite magnet or the armature is fixed to the housing and that the respective other component is movable relative to the housing-fixed component is. Furthermore, should be recognizable by the name that the hard ferrite magnet and the anchor causally and substantially involved in switching the safety relief valve.

Further, the safety relief valve according to the invention comprises a on the movable switching element (hard ferrite magnet or armature) engaging plunger, which is resiliently biased by an elastic spring means against the magnetic attraction between the two switching elements, and a lever assembly, by which a movement of the plunger on the sealing element for fluid-tight closing or opening the drain opening is transmitted. In the safety relief valve according to the invention thus acts, the elastic spring force with which the plunger is biased, the magnetic Attraction between the two switching elements (ie hard ferrite magnet and armature) against. If the elastic spring force, with which the plunger is biased, is greater than the magnetic attraction between the hard ferrite magnet and the armature, is caused by the bias of the plunger that the plunger removes the movable switching element from the housing fixed switching element, wherein the plunger a performs corresponding movement, which affects the sealing element on the sealing element. Conversely, when the elastic spring force with which the plunger is biased, is smaller than the magnetic attraction between the hard ferrite magnet and the armature, the movable switching element is approximated to the housing-fixed switching element, wherein the plunger of the movable switching element in the direction of increasing bias (compression of the elastic spring means) is pressed, and the plunger carries out a corresponding movement, which in turn affects the sealing element via the lever arrangement.

In the first case, the movable switching element can be pressed by the elastically biased plunger against a stop, while in the latter case, the movable switching element pulled by the magnetic attraction with the housing-fixed switching element against another stop or lie on the housing-fixed switching element itself can come.

The safety relief valve according to the invention now enables in a particularly simple manner a currentless temperature control of the safety relief valve by exploiting the fact that with decreasing ambient temperature, the remanence of the hard ferrite magnet increases and its coercive force decreases, so that the adhesive force of the hard ferrite magnet increases with decreasing temperature. According to the invention, barium ferrite (BaFe ₁₂ O ₁₉ ) and strontium ferrite (SrFe ₁₂ O ₁₉ ) are preferred as the material for the hard ferrite magnet.

The strength of the adherent magnet and the spring force of the resilient spring means for biasing the plunger can now be set so that as the ambient temperature drops to a desired ambient temperature (eg, 3 ° C), the magnetic attraction between the magnet and the armature Force, with which the plunger is elastically biased (while holding magnet and armature away from each other), suppressed. On the other hand, the magnetic attraction force (adhesive force) between magnet and armature sharply decreases with an increase in ambient temperature at a higher ambient temperature (eg, 5 ° C.), so that the elastic biasing force is stronger than the magnetic attraction force between armature and magnet movable switching element (magnet or armature) by the from the side of the housing-fixed switching element ago attacking plunger is pushed away from the housing-fixed switching element.

The associated with a movement of the movable switching element movement of the plunger controls via the lever assembly, the pressing of the sealing element on the sealing seat or the removal of the sealing element of the sealing seat, that is, the closed or open position of the safety relief valve. In this way, a purely mechanical, currentless, temperature-controlled opening or closing of the safety drain valve is advantageously possible, which avoids the disadvantages of the conventional current-operated safety relief valve as described above.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the lever assembly comprises a toggle lever, wherein the plunger is connected to the knee of the toggle lever and a movement of the plunger in a direction in which the force of the elastic bias is reduced (direction in which the two switching elements are removed from each other ), an extension of the toggle lever causes, while a movement of the plunger in a direction opposite thereto causes a flexion of the knee lever. Due to the extension of the toggle associated broadening of the toggle lever can be achieved in a simple manner, a fluid-tight pressing of the sealing element to its sealing seat. On the other hand, can be achieved by the bending of the toggle associated reduction of the lateral dimension of the toggle lever in a simple manner removal of the sealing element of its sealing seat. Advantageously, the lever arrangement further comprises a push rod articulated in particular with a toggle lever, which is connected to the sealing element, optionally via a further pressure piece connected to the push rod.

Furthermore, the safety relief valve according to the invention may be designed so that the, usually clamped on two sides spring means for elastically biasing the plunger is clamped on one side by a relative to the spring movable adjustment screw, so that the spring force of the spring means can be adjusted in a desired manner. The adjusting screw is advantageously connected for this purpose by means of a sleeve with the housing-fixed switching element.

Advantageously, the safety drain valve is designed so that the fluid line is removable (advantageously in the form of a T-piece) formed by the remaining housing of the safety relief valve. To ensure a stable connection between the fluid line and the rest of the housing of the safety relief valve, the fluid line can be clamped by a wire clamp hereby.

In the safety relief valve according to the invention, a fluid line is provided, which may be formed approximately as a piece of pipe, which can be inserted in a simple manner by connecting both sides in a piping system. Similarly, it is possible that the fluid line of the safety relief valve itself is part of a (pipe) pipe system.

The safety relief valve according to the invention is advantageously used in a hot water heating system with a pipe system for distributing water to consumers.

Fig. 1

zeigt in schematischer Weise einen Schnitt durch ein herkömmliches Sicherheitsablassventil;

Fig. 2

zeigt in schematischer Weise einen Schnitt durch ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäßen Sicherheitsablassventils;

Fig. 3

zeigt in schematischer Weise eine Anordnung eines erfindungsgemäßen Sicherheitsablassventils in einer Wasserleitung einer mobilen Gas- bzw. Elektroheizung für ein Fahrzeug.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to a preferred embodiment, reference being made to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1

schematically shows a section through a conventional safety relief valve;

Fig. 2

shows in a schematic way a section through an embodiment of a safety relief valve according to the invention;

Fig. 3

shows a schematic arrangement of a safety relief valve according to the invention in a water pipe of a mobile gas or electric heater for a vehicle.

FIG. 1 has already been explained in detail at the beginning, so that a further description is unnecessary here.

Referring now to FIG. 2, which schematically shows a section through an exemplary embodiment of a safety relief valve according to the invention. Accordingly, the safety relief valve of a housing 33 with the temperature-controlled (de-energized) automatic triggering and a tee 34 with a fluid pipe (piece) 36 to the fluid line in the closed state of the safety valve and a perpendicular thereto arranged discharge pipe (piece) 39 for discharging fluid in assembled state of the safety valve, wherein the T-piece 34 is fitted into a housing receptacle provided therefor 35 of the housing 33 and secured with a wire clamp, not shown. In the closed state of the safety relief valve, a membrane 41 is pressed fluid-tight onto a sealing seat 40 of a discharge opening 37 of the fluid tube 36. In the open state of the safety relief valve, the membrane 41 is removed from the sealing seat 40, so that fluid can flow from the fluid pipe 36 via the cavity 50 and the fluid-conducting connection 38 into the discharge pipe 39. The membrane 41 is in this case via a into a corresponding Receiving the diaphragm 41 inserted pressure piece nose 43 connected to a pressure piece 42, so that the membrane 41 follows a movement of the pressure piece 42. The pressure piece 42 in turn is against the spring force of a coil spring 44 against a push rod 47 movable. The coil spring 44 is clamped for this purpose between a receptacle 46 of an adjusting nut 45 and the pressure piece 42. The adjusting nut 45 is for this purpose to a on the push rod 47 in FIG. 2 unscrewed screw thread screwed. By adjusting the adjusting nut 45, the spring force (bias) of the coil spring 44 can be adjusted in the desired manner. By the movable against the force of the coil spring 44 sealing membrane 41 an overpressure safety function of the safety relief valve is ensured, since the sealing membrane 41 at a settable by the adjusting nut 45 and the spring force of the coil spring 44 fluid pressure in the fluid pipe 36 always the discharge opening 37 releases.

The adjusting nut 45 and the push rod 47 which extends through it can be moved in a guide 48 of a housing section 49 by the action of a toggle lever with the two toggle lever arms 51, 52. For this purpose, the push rod 47 is connected via an articulated connection 55 to a toggle arm 51, which in turn is connected via the toggle lever joint 53 to the other toggle lever arm 52. The other toggle lever arm 52 is articulated to the housing 33 via an articulated connection 56, which is fastened to the housing 33 by means of fastening struts 57. For stiffening, the toggle lever 51 has a bead 58. At the toggle joint 53, a plunger 59 is fixed via a hole 58, wherein the plunger 59 and the two toggle lever arms 51, 52 are connected to each other in a simple manner by a Absteckstift. By a movement of the plunger 59, the toggle lever can thus be bent or stretched with the two toggle arms 51, 52 (in Fig. 1, a flexion of the toggle corresponds to a downward movement of the plunger 59, while an extension of the toggle corresponds to an upward movement of the plunger 59).

The plunger 59 engages through an opening 63 of an anchor plate 60 and is applied to a hard ferrite magnet 64. The armature plate 60 is accommodated in a receptacle 62 surrounding the edges of the armature plate 60 of a housing section 61 of the housing 33 and in this way firmly connected to the housing 33. At the anchor plate 60, a sleeve 70 is fixed with an external thread, not shown, on which external thread an adjusting nut 67 is screwed. A coil spring 69 is clamped between a receptacle 68 formed in the adjusting nut 67 and a projection 72 of the plunger 59. There the adjusting nut 67 via the sleeve 70 to which it is screwed, and the anchor plate 60 is fixedly connected to the housing 33, the plunger 59 by the force of the coil spring 69 in FIG. 2 is pushed up, that is, the knee lever connected to the plunger 59 with the toggle arms 51, 52 is stretched. Since the plunger 59 abuts the magnet 64, this results in that the hard ferrite magnet 64 in FIG. 2 is pushed up, so that a cavity 65 is formed. By adjusting the adjusting nut 67 on the external thread of the sleeve 70 while the spring force (bias) of the nut can be adjusted.

Furthermore, a handle 71 is fixed to the magnet 64, by which the magnet 64 in FIG. 2 can be pushed down. In order to allow movement of the magnet 64 in the housing portion 61, this is movably guided in a guide 73 of the housing portion 61.

The magnetic force of the magnet 64 acts on the (metallic) armature plate 60, with the result that the movable in his guide 73 magnet 64 is pulled onto the armature plate 60, if the magnetic force is able, the spring force of the coil spring 69th to overpress. Thus, when the magnetic force of the hard ferrite magnet 64 increases with decreasing ambient temperature, with a suitably adjusted spring force of the coil spring 69, the magnetic attraction force between the magnet 64 and the armature plate 60 may be greater at a certain ambient temperature, for example + 3 ° C is as the spring force of the coil spring 69, which counteracts this, so that the magnet 64 is pulled onto the armature plate 60, the plunger 59 of the magnet 64 in FIG. 2 is pressed down, thereby bending the toggle lever, wherein the sealing membrane 41 is removed via the push rod 47 and the pressure member 42 of its sealing seat 40 and the safety relief valve is transferred to an open position. On the other hand, decreases in an increasing ambient temperature, the magnetic force of the hard ferrite magnet 64 again, so that at a suitably set spring force of the coil spring 69 may occur that from a certain ambient temperature, for example + 5 ° C, the spring force of the coil spring 69 is greater as the magnetic attraction force between magnet 64 and armature plate 60, which counteracts this, so that the magnet 64 is removed from the armature plate 60, the plunger 59 by the spring force of the coil spring 69 in FIG. 2 is pushed upwards and thereby the toggle lever is stretched, wherein the sealing membrane 41 via the push rod 47 and the pressure piece 42 on their Sealing seat 40 is pressed and the safety relief valve is transferred to a closed position.

FIG. 3 schematically shows an arrangement of a safety relief valve according to the invention in a hot water line of a mobile gas heater for a vehicle. Accordingly, a gas heater 74 supplied via a hot water pipe 75 different consumers, such as a hot water tap 77 or a hot shower 76. In the hot water pipe 75 via its tee 34 an inventive safety relief valve is inserted, which is shown in a sectional view in a perspective view. It is shown that on a housing 33, a T-piece 34 with the flow tube 36 and the discharge pipe 39 is placed. In addition, the flow direction of the water in the fluid tube 36 and the discharge tube 39 is indicated by respective arrows.

According to the safety relief valve is equally suitable for liquid or gaseous fluids.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

casing

2

drain hole

3

drain pipe

4

membrane

5

Pressure piece

6

pushrod

7

feather

8th

adjusting

9

locking pin

10

toggle arm

11

Kiehebelarm

12

Toggle joint

13

Articulated connection

14

fluid pipe

15

wire clamp

16

cavity

17

anchor

18

leadership

19

feather

20

Kitchen sink

21

coil sheet

22

anchor connector

23

mounting Strap

24

coil holder

25

control electronics

26

attack

27

wire hanger

28

Handle

29

Pressure piece nose

30

guide

31 1

sealing seat

32

Fluid conducting connection

33

casing

34

Tee

35

housing receptacle

36

fluid pipe

37

drain hole

38

Fluid conducting connection

39

drain pipe

40

sealing seat

41

sealing membrane

42

Pressure piece

43

Pressure piece nose

44

feather

45

adjusting

46

admission

47

pushrod

48

guide

49

housing section

50

cavity

51

toggle arm

52

toggle arm

53

locking pin

54

Beading

55

Articulated connection

56

Articulated connection

57

mounting Strap

58

hole

59

tappet

60

anchor

61

housing section

62

anchor seat

63

Anchor aperture

64

magnet

65

cavity

66

pole

67

adjusting

68

admission

69

feather

70

shell

71

Handle

72

head Start

73

guide

74

gas heating

75

Hot water pipe

76

consumer

77

consumer

Claims (13)

A temperature controlled safety drain valve for venting fluids from a fluid line, comprising: a fluid line (36) having a discharge opening (37) which has a sealing seat (37) which cooperates with a sealing element (41) for fluid-tight closing or opening of the discharge opening, a switching element fixed to the housing in relation to a housing (33) of the safety relief valve and a switching element magnetically attracted to the housing-fixed switching element and movable relative to the latter, one of which being a hard-ferrite magnet (64) and the other being an armature (60), - An engaging on the movable switching element plunger (59) which is resiliently biased by means of an elastic spring means (69) against the magnetic attraction between the two switching elements, and - A lever assembly (51, 52, 47), by which a movement of the plunger (59) is transmitted to the sealing element for fluid-tight closing or opening of the discharge opening. Safety drain valve according to claim 1,
characterized,
that a toggle lever (51, 52), the plunger (59) is connected to the knee (53) so that a movement in the bias direction of the slide causes a stretching of the toggle lever, while a movement of the plunger in the direction opposite thereto, a diffraction of the knee lever causes. Safety drain valve according to claim 2,
characterized,
that the lever arrangement, connected to a toggle arm (51) of the toggle lever, in particular pivoted, the push rod (47) which is in turn connected to the sealing element (41). Safety drain valve according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the plunger (59) engages through an opening (63) of the housing-fixed switching element. Safety drain valve according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the armature (60) is the housing-fixed switching element. Safety drain valve according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the elastic spring means (69) for biasing the plunger (59) on one side by a relative to the spring means (69) movable adjusting screw (67) is clamped. Safety drain valve according to claim 6,
characterized,
that the adjusting screw (67) is connected by means of a sleeve (70) with the housing-fixed switching element. Safety drain valve according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the sealing element (41) is elastically pretensioned relative to the lever arrangement (51, 52, 47) by means of an elastic spring means (44). Safety drain valve according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that it has a handle (71) connected to the movable switching element for manual movement of the movable switching element. Safety drain valve according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the fluid line (36) is detachably arranged. Safety drain valve according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
in that the fluid line (36) and a discharge pipe (39) which is fluid-conductively connected to its discharge opening (43) are designed in the form of a T-piece. Safety drain valve according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the material for the hard ferrite magnet is selected from the group consisting of barium ferrite (BaFe, ₂ O ₁₉ ) and strontium ferrite (SrFe ₁₂ O ₁₉ ). Fluid distribution system, in particular hot water distribution system, for
Distribution of fluid to at least one consumer having at least one safety relief valve according to one of the preceding claims.

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