WO2024098934A1 - Multi-channel valve, thermal management integrated module, and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-channel valve (100), a thermal management integrated module, and a vehicle. The multi-channel valve (100) comprises: a housing (10) provided with a valve cavity (101) and a plurality of circulation channels (102), the plurality of circulation channels (102) being arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the valve cavity (101), and the circulation channels (102) each having an inner port (102a) communicated with the valve cavity (101), and an outer port (102b) penetrating the same end face of the housing (10); and a valve core (20) rotatably arranged in the valve cavity (101), the valve core (20) being provided with at least one switching channel, the switching channel being connected to two of the inner ports (102a), and the valve core (20) rotating so that the switching channel switches to be connected to different inner ports (102a).

Description

Multi-channel valve, thermal management integrated module and vehicle

This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202211403788.1 filed on November 9, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application.

Technical Field

The present application relates to the technical field of switching valves, and in particular to a multi-channel valve, a thermal management integrated module and a vehicle.

Background technique

In actual application scenarios of new energy vehicles, their thermal management systems need to perform temperature regulation management on management objects such as the battery pack, powertrain, control module, and passenger compartment of new energy vehicles. Based on the needs of multiple management objects that need thermal management, if each thermal management object is controlled separately by a fluid valve device, the entire thermal management system will be too complicated, with a large number of parts and a large space occupied. In addition, the reliability of the thermal management system will be reduced. Therefore, thermal management systems tend to develop in the direction of integration, which requires the use of multi-channel valves to achieve switching of various flow paths. How to design a multi-channel valve so that a multi-channel valve can cope with the control of multiple channels and multiple modes of the system and reduce the space occupied by the thermal management system is a technical problem that needs to be further improved.

technical problem

The main purpose of this application is to propose a multi-channel valve that can realize switching of multiple flow paths and multiple modes and occupies a small space; when the multi-channel valve is applied to a thermal management integrated module, it can simplify the connection structure of multiple circulation loops of the thermal management integrated module.

Technical Solutions

To achieve the above objectives, the multi-channel valve proposed in this application includes:

A housing, provided with a valve cavity and a plurality of flow channels, wherein the plurality of flow channels are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the valve cavity, each of the flow channels having an inner port communicating with the valve cavity and an outer port penetrating the same end surface of the housing; and

The valve core is rotatably disposed in the valve cavity. The valve core is provided with at least one switching channel, and the switching channel is communicated with two of the inner ports. The valve core is rotated to switch the switching channel with different inner ports.

In one embodiment, the shell includes a shell body arranged in a hollow cylindrical shape, and an annular boss arranged on the outer periphery of one end of the shell body, the inner cavity of the shell body forms the valve cavity, the annular boss has a first end face and a second end face opposite to each other in the axial direction, the second end face is located on the side of the first end face away from the shell body, each of the inner ports is arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the shell body and is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the shell body, and each of the outer ports is arranged on the second end face and is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular boss.

In one of the embodiments, the shell further includes a plurality of guide portions arranged at intervals along the circumference of the shell body, one side of each guide portion is connected to the outer circumferential surface of the shell body, and the other side is connected to the first end surface, and each guide portion is provided with a guide channel, and the inner port, the guide channel and the outer port are connected in sequence one by one to form the circulation channel.

In one embodiment, the flow guide channel is arranged as an arc-shaped channel.

In one embodiment, the switching channels are provided in plurality, and the plurality of switching channels include a first switching channel and a second switching channel, the first switching channel is used to connect two adjacent internal ports, and the second switching channel is used to connect two non-adjacent internal ports, and the valve core is rotated to switch the first switching channel with different internal ports and/or the second switching channel with different internal ports.

In one embodiment, a spacing portion is formed between any two adjacent inner ports. In an initial position, each of the first switching channels is correspondingly connected to a group of two adjacent inner ports, and the second switching channel is connected to two inner ports separated by a group of two adjacent inner ports; every time the valve core rotates by a preset angle, each of the first switching channel and the second switching channel crosses a spacing portion and is connected to the inner port adjacent to the spacing portion.

In one embodiment, the preset angle is θ, wherein 10°≤θ≤30°.

In one of the embodiments, the outer peripheral surface of the valve core is provided with a guide cavity recessed toward the center of the valve core, and the guide cavity forms the first switching channel; the second switching channel includes a guide inner flow channel and two connecting ports, the guide inner flow channel is provided in the valve core, and the two connecting ports are both located on the outer peripheral surface of the valve core and connected through the guide inner flow channel.

In one embodiment, the multi-channel valve also includes a first sealing member arranged in the valve cavity, the first sealing member ring is arranged on the outer periphery of the valve core, the first sealing member is provided with a plurality of first avoidance through holes, the first avoidance through holes are arranged one by one corresponding to and connected with the inner ports, and the first sealing member is in contact with the housing and the valve core respectively.

In one embodiment, the multi-channel valve further includes a second sealing member, which is disposed on a side of the shell where the external port is disposed, and the second sealing member is provided with a plurality of second avoidance through holes, which are disposed one-to-one in correspondence with and connected to the external port.

In one embodiment, an end cover is provided at one end of the shell away from the external port, and the end cover is provided with a through hole for the rotating shaft of the valve core to pass through. The multi-channel valve also includes an actuator, which is provided on the side of the end cover away from the shell, and the actuator is driven and connected to the rotating shaft to drive the valve core to rotate.

The present application also proposes a thermal management integrated module, comprising:

A manifold having a plurality of flow channels for circulating a medium; and

A multi-channel valve, the multi-channel valve is the multi-channel valve as described above, the multi-channel valve is arranged on the manifold, the multiple flow channels are connected to the multiple external ports in a one-to-one correspondence, and the valve core rotates to control the switching connection of the multiple flow channels so that the thermal management integrated module can switch the mode or flow path.

The present application also provides a vehicle, comprising the thermal management integrated module as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.

FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a multi-channel valve of the present application;

FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of the multi-channel valve in FIG1 from another perspective;

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the multi-channel valve along line A-A in FIG2 (the valve core is in the initial position);

FIG4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-channel valve in FIG3 after the valve core rotates through a preset angle;

FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the multi-channel valve in FIG1 ;

FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a housing of the multi-channel valve in FIG5 ;

FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of the housing in FIG6 from another perspective;

FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of the housing in FIG6 from another perspective;

FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a valve core of the multi-channel valve in FIG5 ;

FIG10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the valve core in FIG9 ;

FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of a first sealing member of the multi-channel valve in FIG5 ;

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the decomposed structure of an embodiment of a thermal management integrated module of the present application.

Description of Figure Numbers:

Label	name	Label	name
100	Multi-channel valve	201	First switching channel
10	case	202	Second switching channel
101	Valve cavity	202a	Diversion inner channel
102	Circulation channel	202b	Connectivity Ports
102a	Internal port	twenty two	Shaft
102b	External port	30	First seal
11	Shell body	31	First avoidance hole
12	Annular boss	32	Grooves
121	First end face	33	Sealing rib
122	Second end face	40	Second seal
13	Diversion part	41	Second avoidance hole
14	Spacer	50	End caps
15	Convex	60	Actuator
20	Valve core	200	Manifold
twenty one	Valve core body	210	Runner

The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiments of the present invention

The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present application involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back...), the directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the components in a certain specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indications will also change accordingly.

In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present application, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features limited to "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In addition, if "and/or" or "and/or" appears in the full text, its meaning includes three parallel schemes. Taking "A and/or B" as an example, it includes scheme A, or scheme B, or a scheme that satisfies both A and B. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but it must be based on the ability of ordinary technicians in this field to implement. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by this application.

The present application proposes a multi-channel valve 100 .

Please refer to Figures 1 to 7. In one embodiment of the present application, the multi-channel valve 100 includes a housing 10 and a valve core 20. The housing 10 is provided with a valve cavity 101 and a plurality of circulation channels 102. The plurality of circulation channels 102 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the valve cavity 101. Each circulation channel 102 has an inner port 102a connected to the valve cavity 101 and an outer port 102b that passes through the same end surface of the housing 10. The valve core 20 is rotatably disposed in the valve cavity 101. The valve core 20 is provided with at least one switching channel, which is connected to two of the inner ports 102a. The valve core 20 rotates to switch the switching channel to different inner ports 102a.

The housing 10 is hollow, and a valve cavity 101 is formed inside it. A plurality of circulation channels 102 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the valve cavity 101. One end of each circulation channel 102 penetrates the inner wall surface of the housing 10 to form an inner port 102a connected to the valve cavity 101, and the other end of each circulation channel 102 penetrates the end surface of the housing 10 to form an outer port 102b. The circulation channel 102 can be connected to an external pipeline through the outer port 102b. Among them, the specific number of circulation channels 102 can be set according to actual needs. For example, in this embodiment, the multi-channel valve 100 is a twelve-channel valve with 12 circulation channels 102. It should be noted that the shapes of the plurality of inner ports 102a can be the same or different, and the shapes of the plurality of outer ports 102b can also be the same or different. There is a flowing medium in the external pipeline, so that the medium can flow in or out from the outer port 102b of the circulation channel 102 to realize the flow of the medium between the multi-channel valve 100 and the external pipeline, wherein the medium can be water, antifreeze or other liquids, which are not specifically limited here. Multiple circulation channels 102 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the valve cavity 101, so that the multiple circulation channels 102 are arranged regularly, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the multi-channel valve 100; and the external ports 102b of each circulation channel 102 are all located on the same end face of the shell 10. In this way, when connecting with external pipelines, it is only necessary to set a manifold 200 on the side of the shell 10 where multiple external ports 102b are provided to centrally connect the external pipelines. The assembly method is simpler, and there is no need to set pipeline connection structures on multiple surfaces of the shell 10, and the overall space occupied is smaller.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the valve core 20 is disposed in the valve cavity 101 , and the valve core 20 can be configured as a columnar shape, and the valve core 20 can rotate along its own axis in the valve cavity 101 . Among them, the valve core 20 is provided with at least one switching channel, and the switching channel is used to communicate with two inner ports 102a of the plurality of circulation channels 102 , that is, one switching channel can connect two of the circulation channels 102 to form a medium flow channel. When the valve core 20 rotates, the switching channel also rotates with the valve core 20 , so that the switching channel can be switched and communicated with different inner ports 102a to form different medium flow channels. In this way, with the rotation of the valve core 20 , the switching between different medium flow channels of the multi-channel valve 100 can be realized, so that the medium can enter the interior of the multi-channel valve 100 from different medium flow channels or flow out from the interior of the multi-channel valve 100, so that the multi-channel valve 100 can realize a variety of different working modes. Exemplarily, by adjusting the rotation angle of the valve core 20 , the switching between different flow channels of the multi-channel valve 100 and the control of the flow rate can be realized, thereby controlling the flow rate of the fluid medium in the external pipeline.

The multi-channel valve 100 of the present application only needs to control the rotation of the valve core 20 so that the valve core 20 switches and communicates with different circulation channels 102 on the housing 10, so as to realize the switching of multiple flow paths and multiple modes of the multi-channel valve 100, and the control method is simpler. The multiple circulation channels 102 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the valve cavity 101, so that the multiple circulation channels 102 are arranged regularly, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the multi-channel valve 100; and the external ports 102b of each circulation channel 102 are all located on the same end face of the housing 10, so that when connecting with the external pipeline, it is only necessary to set the manifold 200 on the side of the housing 10 with multiple external ports 102b to centrally connect the external pipelines, and the assembly method is simpler, and there is no need to set the pipeline connection structure on multiple surfaces of the housing 10, and the overall space occupied is smaller. When the multi-channel valve 100 is applied to the thermal management integrated module, the connection structure of multiple circulation loops of the thermal management integrated module can be simplified.

Please refer to Figures 6 to 8. In one embodiment, the shell 10 includes a shell body 11 arranged in a hollow cylindrical shape, and an annular boss 12 arranged on the outer periphery of one end of the shell body 11. The inner cavity of the shell body 11 forms a valve cavity 101. The annular boss 12 has a first end face 121 and a second end face 122 opposite to each other in the axial direction. The second end face 122 is located on the side of the first end face 121 away from the shell body 11. Each inner port 102a is arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the shell body 11 and is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the shell body 11. Each outer port 102b is arranged on the second end face 122 and is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular boss 12.

The housing 10 includes a shell body 11 and an annular boss 12, and the shell body 11 and the annular boss 12 are integrally formed to enhance the overall structural strength. The shell body 11 can be set as a cylindrical structure with one end closed and the other end open. The interior of the shell body 11 constructs a valve cavity 101, and the valve core 20 can be assembled into the valve cavity 101 from the open end of the shell body 11. After the valve core 20 is assembled, the end cover 50 is assembled on the open end of the shell body 11. The inner ports 102a of the multiple flow channels 102 are all arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the shell body 11, and the multiple inner ports 102a are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the shell body 11, so that different inner ports 102a can be switched and connected when the valve core 20 rotates.

The annular boss 12 extends outward from the outer circumferential surface of the end of the shell body 11 away from the end cover 50. The shape of the annular boss 12 can be set to a regular circular ring or other irregular annular structures according to actual needs, and is not specifically limited here. The axial direction of the annular boss 12 is consistent with the direction of the rotation axis of the valve core 20. The annular boss 12 has a first end face 121 and a second end face 122 that are opposite to each other in the axial direction. The second end face 122 is located on the side of the first end face 121 away from the shell body 11. The outer ports 102b of the plurality of flow channels 102 are all arranged on the second end face 122, and the plurality of outer ports 102b are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular boss 12. In this way, when connecting with an external pipeline, it is only necessary to assemble the manifold 200 on the second end face 122 so that the plurality of outer ports 102b of the second end face 122 are connected to the plurality of flow channels on the manifold 200 in a one-to-one correspondence, so that the connection structure between the multi-channel valve 100 and the external pipeline is simpler.

In order to facilitate the assembly of the multi-channel valve 100 and the manifold 200, the annular boss 12 is provided with a plurality of fixing holes spaced apart along the circumferential direction, and the two ends of the fixing holes respectively pass through the first end face 121 and the second end face 122. During assembly, the fasteners are passed through the fixing holes and connected and fixed to the manifold 200.

As shown in Figure 6, the shell 10 also includes a plurality of guide portions 13 arranged at intervals along the circumference of the shell body 11, one side of each guide portion 13 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the shell body 11, and the other side is connected to the first end surface 121, and each guide portion 13 is provided with a guide channel, and the inner port 102a, the guide channel and the outer port 102b are connected in sequence one by one to form a circulation channel 102.

In this embodiment, the guide portion 13 extends radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the shell body 11, and the two sides of the guide portion 13 are respectively connected to the shell body 11 and the annular boss 12, which can play a certain structural strengthening role. Optionally, the shell body 11, the annular boss 12 and the guide portion 13 are integrally formed, for example, they can be integrally formed by an injection molding process, which can not only simplify the manufacturing process, but also further improve the structural strength of the shell 10. Each guide portion 13 is hollow inside to construct a guide channel, one end of the guide channel is connected to the inner port 102a, and the other end is connected to the outer port 102b, thereby forming a circulation channel 102. In this way, the medium inside the multi-channel valve 100 can be transported to the guide channel through the inner port 102a, and under the guidance of the guide channel, it is transported to the corresponding outer port 102b and output to the external pipeline; or the medium can enter the guide channel from the outer port 102b, and under the guidance of the guide channel, it is transported to the corresponding inner port 102a to enter the multi-channel valve 100.

It can be understood that the number of the guide portions 13 is adapted to the number of the circulation channels 102. For example, in the present embodiment, the multi-channel valve 100 has 12 circulation channels 102, and accordingly, 12 guide portions 13 are provided at intervals along the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the shell body 11. It should be noted that the shapes of the guide portions 13 can be the same or different, and the guide portions 13 can be specifically designed according to the relative positions of the corresponding inner ports 102a and outer ports 102b. The plurality of guide portions 13 are spaced and evenly arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the shell body 11. The guide portions 13 are located at the same height position of the multi-channel valve 100 or are arranged at a height position close to the same height position. In this way, the arrangement of the plurality of guide portions 13 is more regular, which is conducive to the miniaturization of the overall volume of the multi-channel valve 100.

In the above embodiment, since the inner port 102a is arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the shell 10, that is, the inner port 102a is located on the radial side of the shell 10; the outer port 102b is arranged on the second end surface 122, and the outer port 102b is located on the axial side of the shell 10, when the medium flows between the inner port 102a and the outer port 102b, the flow direction of the medium will produce a large mutation. In order to be able to more smoothly guide the medium to change the flow direction, further, the guide flow channel is arranged in an arc-shaped flow channel. Specifically, the guide flow channel extends a certain distance from the periphery of the inner port 102a along the radial direction of the shell body 11, then bends downward and extends to connect with the periphery of the outer port 102b, so that the guide flow channel presents an arc-shaped setting as a whole. In this way, not only can the medium be smoothly guided to change the flow direction, but also the flow resistance of the medium can be reduced, and the medium can be prevented from having a large impact on the inner wall surface of the guide portion 13 during the flow process.

In order to enable the multi-channel valve 100 to achieve more flow mode switching, please refer to Figures 3 and 9, a plurality of switching channels are provided, and the plurality of switching channels include a first switching channel 201 and a second switching channel 202. The first switching channel 201 is used to connect two adjacent inner ports 102a, and the second switching channel 202 is used to connect two non-adjacent inner ports 102a. The valve core 20 rotates to switch the first switching channel 201 with different inner ports 102a and/or the second switching channel 202 with different inner ports 102a.

In this embodiment, the first switching channel 201 is used to connect two adjacent inner ports 102a, which is conducive to the connection between two adjacent circulation channels 102; the second switching channel 202 is used to connect two non-adjacent inner ports 102a, which is conducive to the connection between two non-adjacent circulation channels 102. The valve core 20 rotates to switch the first switching channel 201 with different inner ports 102a and/or the second switching channel 202 with different inner ports 102a. In this way, the multi-channel valve 100 can switch multiple flow paths and multiple modes by rotating the valve core 20. For example, when the valve core 20 rotates to the first position, the first switching channel 201 connects two adjacent inner ports 102a, while the second switching channel 202 does not connect two non-adjacent inner ports 102a, so as to realize the first flow channel mode; when the valve core 20 rotates to the second position, the second switching channel 202 connects two non-adjacent inner ports 102a, while the first switching channel 201 does not connect two adjacent inner ports 102a, so as to realize the second flow channel mode; when the valve core 20 rotates to the third position, the first switching channel 201 connects two adjacent inner ports 102a, and the second switching channel 202 connects two non-adjacent inner ports 102a, so as to realize the third flow channel mode. In this way, by switching and connecting the first switching channel 201 and the second switching channel 202 with different inner ports 102a (i.e., the circulation channel 102), the switchable modes of the multi-channel valve 100 can be further increased, and the cost and control difficulty can be further reduced.

There are N first switching channels 201, 1 second switching channel 202, and 2 (N+1) inner ports 102a, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 2. For example, as shown in FIG3 and FIG10, in this embodiment, the multi-channel valve 100 has 12 circulation channels 102, and the corresponding inner ports 102a are provided with 12, so 5 first switching channels 201 and 1 second switching channel 202 can be provided on the valve core 20 to meet the switching of different flow channel modes. Of course, in other embodiments, according to the different number of circulation channels 102, the number of the first switching channels 201 and the second switching channels 202 can be adaptively adjusted.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in one embodiment, a spacing portion 14 is formed between any two adjacent inner ports 102a. In the initial position, each first switching channel 201 corresponds to a group of two adjacent inner ports 102a, and the second switching channel 202 corresponds to two inner ports 102a separated by a group of two adjacent inner ports 102a; every time the valve core 20 rotates a preset angle, each first switching channel 201 and the second switching channel 202 respectively crosses a spacing portion 14 and then communicates with the inner port 102a adjacent to the spacing portion 14.

For example, in this embodiment, the inner circumferential surface of the shell body 11 is provided with 12 inner ports 102a at intervals along the circumferential direction, and a spacer 14 is formed between any two adjacent inner ports 102a. For the convenience of explanation, the inner ports 102a are numbered in the order of N1 to N12. Taking the switching process of one of the first switching channels 201 and the second switching channel 202 as an example, as shown in FIG3, in the initial position, one of the first switching channels 201 connects the adjacent N2 inner ports 102a and N3 inner ports 102a, and the two ends of the second switching channel 202 are connected to the N1 inner port 102a and the N4 inner port 102a, respectively. As shown in FIG4 , when the valve core 20 rotates clockwise by a preset angle, one of the first switching channels 201 passes over a spacer 14 and connects the adjacent N3 inner port 102a and N4 inner port 102a, and the two ends of the second switching channel 202 respectively pass over a spacer 14 and connect the N2 inner port 102a and N5 inner port 102a. The switching method of the other first switching channels 201 is similar. The preset angle θ can be set according to actual needs, for example, 10°≤θ≤30°. For example, the preset angle θ can be set to 10°, 15°, 30°, and so on.

Please refer to Figures 9 and 10. The outer peripheral surface of the valve core 20 is provided with a guide cavity recessed toward the center of the valve core 20, and the guide cavity forms a first switching channel 201. In this way, the structure of the first switching channel 201 can be simplified, and the production of the valve core 20 is convenient. Optionally, the first switching channel 201 (that is, the guide cavity) is arranged in a semicircular structure to reduce the flow resistance of the medium. The second switching channel 202 includes a guide inner flow channel 202a and two connecting ports 202b. The guide inner flow channel 202a is arranged in the valve core 20, and the two connecting ports 202b are both located on the outer peripheral surface of the valve core 20 and connected through the guide inner flow channel 202a. In this way, the two connecting ports 202b of the second switching channel 202 are far apart, so as to connect the two non-adjacent inner ports 102a; at the same time, the guide inner flow channel 202a is arranged in the valve core 20, which can make full use of the internal space of the valve core 20. Optionally, the inner flow channel 202a of the flow guide is arranged in an arc-shaped flow channel to reduce the flow resistance of the medium.

In order to ensure the sealing performance of the multi-channel valve 100, as shown in Figures 3 and 11, the multi-channel valve 100 also includes a first sealing member 30 arranged in the valve cavity 101, and the first sealing member 30 is arranged around the outer periphery of the valve core 20. The first sealing member 30 is provided with a plurality of first avoidance through holes 31, and the first avoidance through holes 31 are arranged one by one corresponding to and connected with the inner ports 102a, and the first sealing member 30 is in contact with the housing 10 and the valve core 20 respectively.

In this embodiment, the first sealing member 30 is installed between the valve core 20 and the housing 10, and the first sealing member 30 is provided with a plurality of first avoidance holes 31, so that the inner port 102a on the housing 10 and the switching channel on the valve core 20 can be connected via the first avoidance holes 31 for medium circulation; and the first sealing member 30 is in contact with the valve core 20 and the housing 10 respectively, thereby ensuring that during the rotation of the valve core 20, the first sealing member 30 can seal the gap between the valve core 20 and the housing 10, thereby preventing the medium in the switching channel or the circulation channel 102 from leaking from the gap and causing internal leakage and failure of the multi-channel valve 100, thereby effectively avoiding internal mixing of the medium, avoiding the loss of the regulating function of the multi-channel valve 100, and ensuring the performance reliability of the multi-channel valve 100.

The first seal 30 is arranged in an annular shape. It should be noted that the first seal 30 can be constructed as a closed annular structure with two ends connected, or can be constructed as a non-closed annular structure with two ends close to each other but with a certain gap. Optionally, in this embodiment, the first seal 30 is constructed as a non-closed annular structure for the convenience of production. The material of the first seal 30 is an elastic material. Exemplarily, the first seal 30 is a rubber material. For example, the first seal 30 can be made of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene tripolymer, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber) material, so that the first seal 30 has high cost performance, excellent aging resistance, excellent chemical resistance, excellent insulation performance and a wide range of applicable temperature characteristics.

At least one of the outer circumferential surface of the valve core 20 and the inner circumferential surface of the first sealing member 30 is provided with a convex rib, and the valve core 20 and the first sealing member 30 are in contact with each other through the convex rib. Specifically, the outer circumferential surface of the valve core 20 may be provided with a convex rib, and the valve core 20 may be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the first sealing member 30 through the convex rib; or, the inner circumferential surface of the first sealing member 30 may be provided with a convex rib, and the first sealing member 30 may be in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the valve core 20 through the convex rib; or, both the outer circumferential surface of the valve core 20 and the inner circumferential surface of the first sealing member 30 may be provided with a convex rib, and the valve core 20 and the first sealing member 30 may be in contact with each other through two convex ribs.

In this embodiment, the valve core 20 and the first seal 30 are in contact through the convex rib, which can effectively reduce the contact area between the valve core 20 and the first seal 30, and further reduce the friction resistance during the rotation of the valve core 20, so that the rotation of the valve core 20 is smoother, which is conducive to the precise control of the rotation angle of the valve core 20. At the same time, the friction resistance between the valve core 20 and the first seal 30 in this solution is relatively small, which can effectively avoid the problem of deformation and dislocation of the first seal 30 due to excessive force during the rotation of the valve core 20, thereby causing leakage and sealing failure, and can further improve the sealing performance reliability of each channel of the multi-channel valve 100. The contact side of the convex rib is set in an arc surface, so as to further reduce the contact area and reduce the friction resistance.

As shown in Figure 11, the first sealing member 30 includes a sealing member body surrounding the periphery of the valve core 20, and a sealing rib 33 protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the sealing member body. The first avoidance through holes 31 are provided in the sealing member body, and the periphery of each first avoidance through hole 31 is surrounded by a sealing rib 33, and the sealing rib 33 is in contact with the shell 10.

In this embodiment, by providing a sealing rib 33 on the outer circumferential surface of the sealing body, the circumference of each first avoidance through hole 31 is surrounded by the sealing rib 33. When the first sealing member 30 is assembled to the housing 10, the sealing rib 33 can also surround the circumference of each inner port 102a of the housing 10. In this way, the gap between the circumference of each first avoidance through hole 31 and the circumference of the corresponding inner port 102a can be sealed by the sealing rib 33, which can prevent the medium from mixing between two adjacent first avoidance through holes 31, and also prevent the medium from mixing between two adjacent inner ports 102a, thereby effectively improving the sealing performance of each channel of the multi-way valve. In addition, when the first sealing member 30 is assembled with the housing 10 and the valve core 20, the valve core 20 presses the first sealing member 30 toward the inner circumferential surface of the housing 10, so that the sealing rib 33 elastically presses against the inner circumferential surface of the housing 10. Therefore, by providing the sealing rib 33, the reaction force of the first sealing member 30 after compression can be increased, the compression resistance of the first sealing member 30 is increased, and the problem of reduced sealing performance due to a sealing gap is prevented, thereby further increasing the reliability of the seal.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 11 , one of the inner circumferential surface of the housing 10 and the outer circumferential surface of the first seal 30 is provided with a convex portion 15, and the other is provided with a groove 32 that is plugged and matched with the convex portion 15. For example, in this embodiment, the inner circumferential surface of the housing 10 is provided with a convex portion 15, and the outer circumferential surface of the first seal 30 is provided with a groove 32. When the first seal 30 is assembled with the housing 10, the convex portion 15 is plugged and matched with the groove 32 to achieve rapid positioning and installation of the first seal 30, thereby improving assembly efficiency and assembly accuracy. And when the first seal 30 is assembled in place, the convex portion 15 is matched with the groove 32, so that the first seal 30 can be kept fixed relative to the housing 10, so as to avoid the first seal 30 moving relative to the housing 10 and being misaligned during the rotation of the valve core 20, thereby causing sealing failure, so as to further ensure the reliability of the sealing performance of the multi-way valve. Of course, in some embodiments, the housing 10 may be provided with a groove 32 , and the first sealing member 30 may be provided with a convex portion 15 , so that the convex portion 15 and the groove 32 are plugged together to achieve the same effect.

In order to ensure the sealing reliability between the multi-channel valve 100 and the manifold 200, as shown in Figures 5 and 7, the multi-channel valve 100 also includes a second sealing member 40, which is arranged on a side of the housing 10 having an external port 102b (for example, the second end face 122 of the annular boss 12), and the second sealing member 40 is provided with a plurality of second avoidance through holes 41, and the second avoidance through holes 41 are arranged and communicated with the external port 102b in a one-to-one correspondence. For example, when the multi-channel valve 100 and the manifold 200 are assembled, the second sealing member 40 is located between the housing 10 and the manifold 200, and the second sealing member 40 is deformed by being squeezed, so that it can play a good sealing connection role between the housing 10 and the manifold 200, so that the unified sealing of the multi-channel valve 100 and the manifold 200 can be achieved, the sealing reliability is better, and the risk of fluid leakage to the outside is lower. Exemplarily, the second seal 40 is a rubber material, for example, the second seal 40 can be made of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene tripolymer) material, so that the second seal 40 has high cost performance, excellent aging resistance, excellent chemical resistance, excellent insulation performance and a wide applicable temperature range.

The end surface of the housing 10 is also provided with a sealing groove for accommodating the second sealing member 40. In a free state, the second sealing member 40 at least partially extends out of the sealing groove. When the busbar 200 is abutted against and fixed to the end surface of the housing 10, the second sealing member 40 is squeezed and deformed, and then the sealing groove can be filled, so as to achieve a reliable sealing connection between the busbar 200 and the end surface of the housing 10.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5, an end cover 50 is provided at one end of the shell 10 away from the external port 102b, and the end cover 50 is provided with a through hole for the rotating shaft 22 of the valve core 20 to pass through. The multi-channel valve 100 also includes an actuator 60, which is arranged on the side of the end cover 50 away from the shell 10, and the actuator 60 is driven and connected to the rotating shaft 22 to drive the valve core 20 to rotate.

The valve core 20 includes a valve core body 21 and a rotating shaft 22 connected to the valve core body 21. The actuator 60 may include a motor, a reduction gear set and a control circuit board. The vehicle is suitable for communication connection with the control circuit board and is used to drive the motor in the actuator 60 to output a driving force. The driving force outputs a torque to the rotating shaft 22 of the valve core 20 after passing through the reduction gear set, thereby driving the valve core body 21 to rotate in the housing 10. When the multi-channel valve 100 is working, the actuator 60 drives the valve core 20 to rotate, and when the valve core 20 rotates a certain angle, its switching channel and the circulation channel 102 begin to conduct. The valve core 20 continues to rotate, and the area of conduction between the switching channel and the circulation channel 102 gradually increases, and the flow rate that can pass through it also increases accordingly. Therefore, by controlling the rotation angle of the valve core 20, the switching of multiple working modes and flow control of the multi-channel valve 100 can be achieved.

As shown in FIG12 , the present application also proposes a thermal management integrated module, which includes a manifold 200 and a multi-channel valve 100. A plurality of flow channels 210 for circulating the medium are provided in the manifold 200; the multi-channel valve 100 is provided on the manifold 200, and the plurality of flow channels 210 are connected to the plurality of external ports 102b in a one-to-one correspondence, and the valve core 20 rotates to control the switching connection of the plurality of flow channels 210 so that the thermal management integrated module can switch the mode or flow path. The specific structure of the multi-channel valve 100 refers to the above-mentioned embodiment. Since the present thermal management integrated module adopts all the technical solutions of all the above-mentioned embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be described one by one here.

The thermal management integrated module of the present application is provided with a multi-channel valve 100 and a manifold 200, and a flowing medium is provided in the flow channel 210 of the manifold 200. When the thermal management integrated module is working, it is only necessary to control the valve core 20 of the multi-channel valve 100 to rotate so that the valve core 20 is switched and connected with different flow channels 102 on the housing 10, so that the switching of multiple flow channels and multiple modes of the multi-channel valve 100 can be realized, and then the switching of multiple flow channels 210 of the manifold 200 can be realized, so that the thermal management integrated module can switch the mode or flow channel, and the control method is simpler and the cost is lower. In addition, the external ports 102b of each flow channel 102 of the multi-channel valve 100 are all located on the same end face of the housing 10, so that when connecting with an external pipeline, it is only necessary to centrally connect the external pipeline through the manifold 200 on the side of the housing 10 where multiple external ports 102b are provided, and the assembly method is simpler, and there is no need to set pipeline connection structures on multiple surfaces of the housing 10, and the overall space occupied is smaller. When the multi-channel valve 100 is applied to a thermal management integrated module, the connection structure of multiple circulation loops of the thermal management integrated module can be simplified.

The present application also proposes a vehicle, which includes a thermal management integrated module. The specific structure of the thermal management integrated module refers to the above embodiments. Since the present vehicle adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it at least has all the beneficial effects brought by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described one by one here.

The vehicle can be a new energy vehicle. In some embodiments, the new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle with a motor as the main driving force. In other embodiments, the new energy vehicle can also be a hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine and a motor as the main driving force. Regarding the internal combustion engine and the motor mentioned in the above embodiments that provide driving power for the new energy vehicle, the internal combustion engine can use gasoline, diesel, hydrogen, etc. as fuel, and the way to provide electrical energy for the motor can use power batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, etc., without special limitation here. It should be noted that this is only an exemplary description of the structure of new energy vehicles, etc., and it does not limit the scope of protection of this application.

The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application, and does not limit the patent scope of the present application. All equivalent structural changes made by using the contents of the present application specification and drawings under the application concept of the present application, or directly/indirectly used in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims (13)

1. A multi-channel valve, comprising:

   A housing, provided with a valve cavity and a plurality of flow channels, wherein the plurality of flow channels are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the valve cavity, each of the flow channels having an inner port communicating with the valve cavity and an outer port penetrating the same end surface of the housing; and

   The valve core is rotatably disposed in the valve cavity. The valve core is provided with at least one switching channel, and the switching channel is communicated with two of the inner ports. The valve core is rotated to switch the switching channel with different inner ports.
2. A multi-channel valve as described in claim 1, wherein the shell includes a shell body arranged in a hollow cylindrical shape, and an annular boss arranged on the outer periphery of one end of the shell body, the inner cavity of the shell body forms the valve cavity, the annular boss has a first end face and a second end face opposite to each other in the axial direction, the second end face is located on the side of the first end face away from the shell body, each of the inner ports is arranged on the inner circumferential surface of the shell body and is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the shell body, and each of the outer ports is arranged on the second end face and is arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular boss.
3. The multi-channel valve as described in claim 2, wherein the shell further includes a plurality of guide portions arranged at intervals along the circumference of the shell body, one side of each of the guide portions is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the shell body, and the other side is connected to the first end surface, and each of the guide portions is provided with a guide channel, and the inner port, the guide channel and the outer port are connected in sequence one by one to form the flow channel.
4. The multi-channel valve according to claim 3, wherein the flow guide channel is arranged in an arc-shaped channel.
5. A multi-channel valve as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the switching channels are provided in plurality, the plurality of switching channels include a first switching channel and a second switching channel, the first switching channel is used to connect two adjacent internal ports, the second switching channel is used to connect two non-adjacent internal ports, and the valve core is rotated to switch the first switching channel with different internal ports and/or the second switching channel with different internal ports.
6. The multi-channel valve as described in claim 5, wherein a spacing portion is formed between any two adjacent inner ports, and in an initial position, each of the first switching channels corresponds to a group of two adjacent inner ports, and the second switching channel connects two inner ports separated by a group of two adjacent inner ports; every time the valve core rotates by a preset angle, each of the first switching channel and the second switching channel respectively crosses a spacing portion and then connects to the inner port adjacent to the spacing portion.
7. The multi-channel valve according to claim 6, wherein the preset angle is θ, wherein 10°≤θ≤30°.
8. A multi-channel valve as described in any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the outer peripheral surface of the valve core is provided with a guide cavity recessed toward the center of the valve core, and the guide cavity forms the first switching channel; the second switching channel includes a guide inner flow channel and two connecting ports, the guide inner flow channel is arranged in the valve core, and the two connecting ports are both located on the outer peripheral surface of the valve core and connected through the guide inner flow channel.
9. The multi-channel valve according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the multi-channel valve further comprises a first sealing member arranged in the valve cavity, the first sealing member ring is arranged on the outer periphery of the valve core, the first sealing member is provided with a plurality of first avoidance through holes, the first avoidance through holes are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the inner ports and are connected, and the first sealing member is in contact with the housing and the valve core respectively.
10. The multi-channel valve according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the multi-channel valve further comprises a second sealing member, the second sealing member being arranged on a side of the shell having the external port, the second sealing member being provided with a plurality of second avoidance through holes, the second avoidance through holes being arranged in one-to-one correspondence with and connected to the external port.
11. A multi-channel valve as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein an end cover is provided at one end of the shell away from the external port, and the end cover is provided with a through hole for the rotating shaft of the valve core to pass through, and the multi-channel valve also includes an actuator, the actuator is provided on the side of the end cover away from the shell, and the actuator is drivingly connected to the rotating shaft to drive the valve core to rotate.
12. A thermal management integrated module, comprising:

    A manifold having a plurality of flow channels for circulating a medium; and

    A multi-channel valve, wherein the multi-channel valve is a multi-channel valve as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the multi-channel valve is arranged on the manifold, wherein the plurality of flow channels are connected to the plurality of external ports in a one-to-one correspondence, and wherein the valve core rotates to control the switching connection of the plurality of flow channels so that the thermal management integrated module can switch the mode or flow path.
13. A vehicle, comprising the thermal management integrated module as claimed in claim 12.