WO2015091771A1

WO2015091771A1 - Strain relief device for a return body of a fluid distribution circuit, thermostatic valve, and liquid distribution valve comprising such a strain relief device

Info

Publication number: WO2015091771A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/078429
Authority: WO
Inventors: Simona RAD; Sylvain FAVELIER; Stéphane SOUBRIER
Original assignee: Valeo Systemes Thermiques
Priority date: 2013-12-19
Filing date: 2014-12-18
Publication date: 2015-06-25
Also published as: FR3015603B1; FR3015603A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a strain relief device (1) for a return body (3) of a fluid distribution circuit, especially a return body (3) of a thermostatic valve (5), said device (1) to be mounted in a housing (9) of said circuit and comprising a body (17) supporting said return body (3), and said body (17) comprising means (23) for clicking the device into said housing (9), said body (17) also allowing fluid to pass into the housing (9) as well as relieving strain on the housing (9) as a result of said clicking-in means (23).

Description

EFFORT RETRIEVAL DEVICE FOR A RECALL MEMBER OF A FLUID DISTRIBUTION CIRCUIT, THERMOSTATIC VALVE AND LIQUID DISPENSING VALVE COMPRISING SUCH A DEVICE

EFFORT REPEAT

The invention relates to a force recovery device for a return member of a fluid distribution circuit, particularly for a motor vehicle, a thermostatic valve and a liquid circulation valve comprising such a force recovery device.

The invention finds an application in particular for motor vehicle coolant distribution valves, in particular the ball valves, comprising an integrated safety thermostat device. Such a thermostat device is mounted fitted into a housing opening into the valve chamber of the valve, in particular near a lateral surface of the chamber cooperating with the plug. Such a surface is thus exposed to a risk of deformation due to the fitting force-fitted said thermostat device. However, such a surface must be precisely formed to ensure a good seal between the different channels of the valve.

The object of the invention is to improve the situation and proposes for this purpose a device for taking up force for a return member of a fluid distribution circuit, in particular a return member of a thermostatic valve, the device being intended to be mounted in a housing of said circuit, said device comprising a support body of said return member, said body comprising snap-fastening means of the device in said housing, said body allowing a passage of the fluid in said housing and the recovery of force on said housing by said fixing means. Thus, the device can be mounted in its housing by a simple snapping operation. It does not require a press fitting maneuver, which could deform a close precision surface, as in the case of the aforementioned valve. According to features of the invention which can be taken alone or in combination :

the device is configured to be guided in translation in said housing to a mounting position,

said body comprises a passage channel for the liquid,

said fixing means comprise at least one gripping element in said housing, said one or more gripping elements leaving said channel free,

said gripping element comprises at least one retractable hook, disposed in external projection of the body and intended to cooperate with a complementary recess of the housing,

said retractable hook is a portion of an elastic ring, in particular mounted on the periphery of said body,

said body is cylindrical,

the said hook or hooks form radial pawls,

said retractable hooks are two axially opposed to one another,

said retractable hooks are configured to be engaged in said housing, in the mounting position of the device, according to a determined angular position of the body relative to the housing,

said device comprises an angular indexing element for enabling said angular position of the body relative to the housing,

- said retractable hooks are configured to allow a rotation of the body relative to a longitudinal axis of the housing so as to release the plug in said housing, which allows the removal of the device of said housing,

said retractable hooks are designed as a non-return catch to lock the rotation in an angular direction of rotation and to allow the rotation in the other direction by releasing the plug at the housing,

said body is configured to axially guide said return member,

said body comprises a shoulder capable of supporting a base of the return member,

said shoulder comprises recesses allowing an increase in the section through which the fluid passes through the body,

said shoulder is configured to maintain axially said return member over a portion of its height from said base, so as to allow axial guidance of said return member, the one or more hooks are in one piece with the body,

- the body is made of plastic.

The invention also relates to a thermostatic valve, in particular for a liquid dispensing valve for a motor vehicle, comprising such a force recovery device.

Said thermostatic valve comprises a housing and a force recovery device as described above, the recovery device being positioned in said housing.

Said housing comprises a recess for cooperating with the fixing means of said force recovery device. Said thermostatic valve comprises a thermostat member for opening and / or closing an orifice formed in said housing for the circulation and / or blocking of said fluid, and a return member resting on said force-recovery device for acting on said thermostat member. Said housing has a bottom wall opposite to an opening of said housing, said bottom wall serving as support for said thermostatic body, said force recovery device being on the side of said housing opening.

The invention also relates to a liquid dispensing valve for a motor vehicle, comprising a thermostatic valve as described above.

Said thermostatic valve is mounted close to a surface of a liquid distribution chamber of the valve, in particular a valve chamber of the valve.

More specifically, said dispensing valve may comprise a liquid circulation chamber provided with a rotary plug in said chamber, said housing opening into said chamber, so that said housing and said chamber have a partition wall laterally bordering said chamber and said housing.

Said chamber and said housing communicate with each other through an opening, in particular oriented along a longitudinal axis of said chamber.

Advantageously, said body and said plug are separated by a clearance formed by said wall. Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the following description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a thermostatic valve, in particular for a liquid dispensing valve for a motor vehicle, comprising a force recovery device according to one embodiment of the invention,

Figures 2 and 3 are views in partial section, axial and transverse, respectively, of the force recovery device of the thermostatic valve according to Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of integration of the thermostatic valve of Figures 1 to 3 in an exemplary embodiment of a liquid circulation valve according to the invention.

It should be noted that the figures disclose the invention in detail, said figures can of course be used to better define the invention where appropriate. Identical references are used to designate like or identical elements.

With reference to the drawings, in particular in FIG. 1, the invention relates to a force-recovery device 1 for a return member 3, in particular a return member 3 of a thermostatic valve 5 of a distribution valve 7 of liquid for a motor vehicle. In said dispensing valve, said thermostatic valve may in particular serve as a safety member in case of temperature rise of the liquid beyond a certain threshold.

The device 1 is intended to be mounted in a housing 9 near a surface 1 1 whose surface condition must be preserved, especially in a housing 9 of the body 13 of said valve 7 as here. The surface 1 1 to be protected may be that of a liquid distribution chamber 15 of the valve, in particular a chamber 15 with a plug 16 of liquid distribution which will be detailed later.

The force recovery device comprises a body 17 which supports said return member 3.

According to the invention, said body 17 comprises means 23 snap fastening device 1 in said housing 9, said body allowing a passage of fluid in said housing and the recovery of force on said housing by said fastening means 23.

Thus, the device 1 can be mounted in said housing 9 by a simple snapping operation. It does not require a force-fitting maneuver, in particular a support washer according to the prior art, which could deform a near-precision surface, in particular the surface 1 1 of a distribution valve chamber 15. According to the example, the return member 3 is integral with a thermostat member

19 of the thermostatic valve. This thermostat member 19, supported by said return member 3, is intended to be applied against a seat 20 of the thermostatic valve, here formed in said housing 9. Said thermostat member 19 can open and / or close an orifice 60 formed in said housing 9, at said seat for the circulation and / or blocking said fluid. The return member 3, resting on said force recovery device 1, acts on said thermostat member 19.

Said housing 9 advantageously comprises an opening 21 for said mounting of the device 1, in particular in translation through said opening 21. Thus, the device 1 accompanied by said thermostat member 19 can be mounted by simple translation, by said opening 21, in particular from outside the valve 7, in the housing 9. Said housing 9 has as here a bottom wall opposite an opening 21 of said housing. Said bottom wall serves as a support for said thermostatic member 19, Said device 1 of force recovery is located on the side of said opening 21 of the housing 9.

The device 1 is advantageously configured to be guided until the assembly, during said translation. In particular, the housing 9 and said body 17 are cylindrical, as here, complementary sections, to the game. This guidance of the device 1 may also facilitate the guidance of the thermostat member 19 in its mounting position, in particular to its seat 20.

Said fastening means comprise at least one gripping element 23 in said housing 9, advantageously at least one retractable hook 23, disposed in external projection of the body 17 and intended to cooperate with a recess 25 complementary to the housing 9.

Said complementary recess 25 may be a notch formed in said body 13 of the valve. Alternatively, it may be a rib, for example an annular rib of the housing 9.

Said retractable hook 23 is advantageously, as represented in FIGS. 2 and 3, a portion of elastic ring 29 integral with said body 17, forming in particular a radial pawl relatively to said recess 25. Said elastic ring 29 extends in particular around the periphery of the body 17 On assembly, the hook 23 is brought back inwards as shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. After assembly, the said ring portion or portions leave free a passage channel 43 of the liquid formed by the said body. The pressure drops generated by said fixing means 23 are therefore limited. Alternatively, said elastic ring can be mounted on the body 17, for example in a housing for this purpose, in particular an annular rib of the housing.

Said retractable hooks 23 are here two in number, opposite axially to each other. The device 1 is thus balanced in its housing 9.

Alternatively, three or four hooks forming radial pawls, regularly arranged on the periphery of said body, may also be envisaged.

Said hooks 23 comprise in particular a trapezoidal section provided with an inclined pan to allow their insertion during assembly and a lower right pan to ensure plane contact in the notch under the action of the return member.

Said retractable hooks 23 are advantageously configured to be engaged in said housing 9, at the mounting, according to a determined angular position of the body 17 relative to the housing 9.

Said device 1 may comprise an angular indexing element, for example reference lines, not shown, on the device, in particular said body, and on the housing, to enable said angular position of engagement of the body to be engaged. relative to the housing 9. Said retractable hooks 23 are further configured, as here, to allow a rotation of the body 17 relative to the housing 9 and release the grip of the body in said housing under the effect of said rotation. It is thus possible, after assembly, to remove the device 1 from said housing 9, for example to exchange the thermostatic valve 5, this exchange being difficult by the conventional press fitting technique.

Said retractable hooks 23 are for this purpose designed as a non-return ratchet as can be seen in FIG. 3. This profile 33 makes it possible to lock the rotation in an angular direction of rotation, in particular by an edge 31 of the hook abutted in the recess. 25. It allows the rotation in the other direction, cooperating with the complementary slope 34 of the recess according to the arrow 35, releasing the plug in said housing.

According to an alternative embodiment not shown, said brackets retractable are configured to allow a rotation of the body relative to the housing and release the socket of the body in said housing under the effect of said rotation. For this purpose, said retractable hooks each comprise a profile without an edge while each housing comprises complementary slopes. The curved section of the profile of each retractable hook allows rotation in both directions, cooperating with complementary slopes of each recess, releasing the plug in said housing.

Said body 17 further comprises here a shoulder 39 adapted to support a base 41, namely here a turn 41 end of the return member 3, which is for example here a coil spring.

Said shoulder 39 may be extended by a skirt 37 advantageously configured to axially guide said return member 3. Said return member 3 is here guided axially by said skirt 37 over a portion of its height from said base 41, for example here on two Thus, the device makes it possible to axially guide the mounting of the thermostatic valve 5, in particular of the thermostat member 19 on its seat 20. The skirt 37 can also have an effect on the centering of the body 3 in which evolves the thermostat member 19. Therefore the assembly consisting of the skirt 37 and the return member 3 can have a certain influence on the relative position of the thermostat member 19 on its seat 20, especially at the beginning of the actuation phase of the thermostat member 19. Said shoulder 39 advantageously comprises recesses 50, in particular angular. In other words, said shoulder 39 comprises radial fingers 52, located between said recesses 50. Said recesses 50 allow to enlarge the passage section of the liquid. The or said hooks 23 are advantageously in one piece with the body 17, being here parts of the ring 29. Said body 17 may in particular be derived from plastic molding, which facilitates the manufacture of the device.

The invention also relates, as shown in FIG. 1, to a valve thermostatic 5, in particular for a valve 7 for dispensing liquid for a motor vehicle, comprising said force recovery device 1.

The operation of the thermostatic valve is as follows. When the temperature of the liquid remains below a chosen safety threshold, the thermostat member 19 rests on its seat 20, under the action of the return member 3 which itself bears on the device 1 of stress recovery according to the invention. When the temperature rises, the thermostat member descends from its seat by compressing the return member. It thus opens the orifice 60 for the passage of the liquid. When the temperature decreases, the thermostat member, pushed by the return member, rests against its seat.

The assembly of the device of the thermostatic valve 5 is simple. It is sufficient to engage the return member 3 on the thermostat member 19, then the device 1 for taking up force on the return member 3 in the housing 9, through the opening 21. The force recovery device 1 is advantageously introduced in the indexed angular position and is translated to the end of travel where the thermostat member 19 is in tight abutment on its seat 20. In this end position, is realized the clipping of the device 1, which materializes the end of the assembly.

The invention also relates to a valve 7 for dispensing liquid for a motor vehicle, comprising said thermostat device 5.

According to an exemplary embodiment, not illustrated, said valve comprises in particular an axial orifice which usually constitutes an inlet channel for the fluid, and lateral orifices constituting outlet channels for the fluid. Said axial and / or lateral orifices open into said valve chamber of the valve. The distribution of the fluid through the outlet channels is controlled according to the angular position taken by the plug.

In a preferred application of such a valve, the side wall has three lateral orifices which form outlet channels and which communicate respectively with three branches that comprises the fluid circulation circuit associated with the valve. Such a control valve finds particular application in motor vehicle thermal engine cooling circuits. In this case, the axial orifice, forming fluid inlet, is connected to a cooling fluid inlet from the engine, while the three lateral orifices, fluid outlet, are respectively connected to three branches of the circuit. This circuit comprises a first branch which contains an engine cooling radiator, a second branch which constitutes a bypass of the cooling radiator, optionally comprising other exchangers, and a third branch which contains a heater for heating the passenger compartment.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, said housing 9 opens into said chamber 15, in particular through an opening that can be oriented along the longitudinal axis of the plug chamber 16. In other words, said housing 9 and said plug chamber 16 are here oriented parallel to each other.

Said housing 9 and said chamber 15 have a partition wall 1 1 laterally bordering said chamber 15 and said housing 9. Advantageously, said partition wall has a thickness as small as possible for reasons of compactness of the valve. It will, however, have a minimum thickness so that said body 17 of said force recovery device and said plug 16 are separated by a sufficient clearance so that the plug does not come into contact with said body 17. In addition, the housing 9 has a diameter predefined according to the section of the passage channel 43 of the liquid formed by said body 17. Preferably, the section of the passage channel 43 is greater than or equal to the hydraulic diameter determined by the seat 20 and the thermostatic member 19 in its position of opening of the orifice 60 for the circulation of said fluid.

The invention thus provides a force recovery device, particularly for a return member of a thermostatic valve of a liquid dispensing valve for a motor vehicle, which is simple, reliable, inexpensive and easy to assemble and remove. .

Claims

claims

1. Device (1) for taking up force for a return member (3) of a fluid distribution circuit, in particular a return member (3) of a thermostatic valve (5), the device (1) being intended to be mounted in a housing (9) of said circuit, said device (1) comprising a body (17) supporting said return member (3), said body (17) comprising means (23) for snap-fastening the device ( 1) in said housing (9), said body (17) allowing a passage of the fluid in said housing (9) and the recovery of force on said housing (9) by said means (23) for fixing.

2. Device (1) of force recovery according to the preceding claim, configured to be guided in translation to a mounting position.

3. Apparatus (1) of force recovery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said body (17) comprises a passage channel (43) of the liquid and said fixing means (23) comprise at least one element (23). ) in said housing (9), said one or more engaging elements (23) leaving said channel (43) free.

4. Apparatus (1) of force recovery according to the preceding claim, wherein said element (23) comprises at least one retractable hook (23), disposed external projection of the body (17) and intended to cooperate with a complementary recess (25) of the housing (9).

5. Device (1) of force recovery according to the preceding claim, wherein said retractable hook (23) is an elastic ring portion (29).

6. Apparatus (1) of recovery of force according to one of claims 4 and 5, wherein said body (17) is cylindrical, said retractable hooks (23) forming radial pawls.

7. Apparatus (1) of recovery of force according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said body (17) has an inner shoulder (39) adapted to support said return member (3).

The force recovery device (1) according to claim 7, wherein said shoulder (39) comprises recesses (50) for increasing the fluid passage section through the body (17).

9. Apparatus (1) of recovery of force according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said body (17) is configured to axially guide said return member (3).

10. Thermostatic valve (5) comprising a housing (9) and a device (1) of force recovery according to any one of the preceding claims, positioned in said housing (9).

1 1. Thermostatic valve (5) according to claim 10, wherein said housing (9) comprises a recess (25) for cooperating with the fastening means of said device (1) of force recovery.

12. thermostatic valve (5) according to any one of claims 10 or 1 1, comprising a thermostat member (19) for opening and / or closing an orifice (60) formed in said housing (9) for circulation and / or the blocking of said fluid, and a return member (3) bearing on said device (1) for taking up force to act on said thermostat member (19).

13. Thermostatic valve according to claim 12, wherein said housing (9) has a bottom wall (61) opposite an opening (21) of said housing, said bottom wall (61) serving as support for said thermostatic member (19). ), said device (1) of force recovery located on the side of said opening (21) of the housing (9).

14. Valve (7) for dispensing liquid for a motor vehicle, comprising a thermostatic valve (5) according to any one of claims 10 to 13.

15. Dispensing valve according to claim 14, comprising a chamber (15) of liquid circulation provided with a plug (16) rotating in said chamber (15), said housing (9) opening into said chamber (15), so that said housing (9) and said chamber (15) have a partition wall (1 1 ') laterally bordering said chamber (15) and said housing (9), said body (17) and said plug (16) being separated by a clearance formed by said wall (1 1 ').