COOLANT CONTROL VALVE WITH LOAD-LIMITING END STOP ARRANGEMENT

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/677,076 filed Aug. 15, 2017, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present disclosure relates to a coolant control valve having a load-limiting end stop arrangement, in particular, a resilient end stop for blocking rotation of a rotary valve and collapsible for excessive loads on the end stop.

FIG. 7 shows a portion of prior art coolant control valve 200. Valve 200 includes: housing 202; end stop 204 fixedly connected to housing 202; and rotary valve 206 with end stop 208. End stop 204 is made of a rigid, non-flexible material, for example plastic used to construct housing 202. Valve 206 includes axis of rotation AR. Coolant control valves such as valve 200 are used in internal combustion engines and typically include at least one actuator (not shown) and one or more rotary valves, such as valve 206. End stops 204 and 208 are provided on housing 202 and rotary valve 206, respectively, to limit the rotation travel angle of rotary valve 206. Also, end stops 204 and 208 are used for calibrating rotary valve 206.

To reduce cost and weight of valve 200, plastics are typically used for end stop 204 and/or end stop 208. However, a plastic end stop 204 or 208 tends to break due to fatigue after extended use, or from excessive loads, for example associated with rotation of valve 206. Valve 200 does not function properly without intact end stops 204 and 208. For example, when one or both of end stops 204 and 208 break, valve 206 can rotate past the circumferential position of end stop 204, nullifying calibration and control schemes for valve 206. The problem of end stop failure is exacerbated by the need to reduce the circumferential thickness of end stops 204 and/or 208 to maximize rotary valve travel, thereby further reducing the strength and durability of the end stops.

According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a coolant control valve for an internal combustion engine, including: a housing; a first rotary valve disposed within the housing, the first rotary valve including an axis of rotation and an end stop extending in a first radial direction toward the axis of rotation; and a resilient element connected to the housing. In a first circumferential position of the rotary valve about the axis of rotation: a first circle, centered on the axis of rotation, passes through the resilient element and the end stop; and the end stop is in contact with the resilient element.

According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a coolant control valve for an internal combustion engine, including: a housing; a rotary valve disposed within the housing, the rotary valve including an axis of rotation and an end stop; and a resilient element. The resilient element: is fixedly connected to a surface of the housing; extends from the surface in a first axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation; and includes a portion furthest from the surface of the housing in the first axial direction. In a first circumferential position of the rotary valve about the axis of rotation, the portion is: in contact with the resilient element; and is free of contact with the portion. In a second circumferential position of the rotary valve about the axis of rotation, the portion is in contact with the end stop.

According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a coolant control valve for an internal combustion engine, including: an axis of rotation; a housing including a surface facing in a first axial direction, parallel to the axis of rotation; a rotary valve disposed within the housing; and a resilient element. The rotary valve includes: a surface; and an end stop fixedly connected to the surface of the rotatory valve and extending radially inwardly from the surface of the rotatory valve. The resilient element: is fixedly connected to the surface of the housing; and includes a portion extending furthest from the surface of the housing in the first axial direction. In a first circumferential position of the rotary valve, the end stop: is in contact with the resilient element; and is free of contact with the portion of the resilient element.

At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar, structural elements of the disclosure. It is to be understood that the disclosure as claimed is not limited to the disclosed aspects.

Furthermore, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and as such may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It should be understood that any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of example coolant control system CCS for internal combustion engine ICE, including coolant control valve 100 with a load-limiting end stop arrangement.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of example resilient element 104.

FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of coolant control valve 100 in FIG. 1, including resilient element 104 of FIG. 2, in a first circumferential position. The following should be viewed in light of FIGS. 1 through 3. Valve 100 includes: housing 102; resilient element, or end stop, 104 fixedly connected to housing 102; and rotary valve 106 with end stop 108. Engine ICE is part of vehicle V. System CCS includes: actuator AC, with electric motor EM, connected to valve 100; control unit CU; pump P; and radiator R. Pump P is arranged to pump coolant C through system CCS. Unit CU is arranged to transmit control signal CS to actuator AC. Actuator AC is arranged to rotate rotary valve 106 in circumferential directions CD1 and CD2 about axis of rotation AR for valve 106, in accordance with signal CS.

FIG. 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view generally along line 4-4 in FIG. 3. The following should be viewed in light of FIGS. 1 through 4. Element 104 is fixedly connected to housing 102. For example, portion 110 of element 104 is fixedly connected to surface 112 of housing 102 by any means known in the art. For example, hole 113 in element 104 can accommodate a screw (not shown) for fastening element 104 to housing 102. Surface 112 faces in axial direction AD1, parallel to axis AR. Element 104 includes portion 114 and sides 116 and 118. In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, portion 114 is disposed furthest from surface 112 in direction AD1 and sides 116 and 118 face in opposite circumferential direction CD2 and CD1, respectively. Portion 114 is formed by the conjunction of sides 116 and 118. Resilient element 104 resists compression, for example of portion 114, in direction AD2, opposite direction AD1, with force F1.

In the first circumferential position of FIGS. 3 and 4, valve 106 has been rotated by motor EM in direction CD1 until end stop 108 contacts element 104, for example, contacts side 118. End stop 108 urges element 104, for example portion 114, in direction AD2 with force F2. When force F2 is less than or equal to force F1, element 104 blocks rotation of end stop 108 and valve 106 past element 104 in direction CD1. That is, force F2 does not overcome force F1 and end stop 108 does not compress element 104 in direction AD2 enough to achieve the configuration shown in FIG. 5. To simplify the discussion, any frictional forces between end stop 108 and element 104, which would resist the displacement of end stop 108 with respect to element 104 are accounted for in force F1. Thus, end stop 108 cannot rotate past element 104 in direction CD1. Note that some flexing of element 104 may occur due to the contact with end stop 108, but end stop 108 does not achieve the configuration shown in FIG. 5. In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, portion 114 is free of contact with end stop 108. The instance in which force F2 is greater than force F1 is discussed below.

In the configuration of FIGS. 3 and 4, circle C1, centered on axis of rotation AR, passes through resilient element 104 and end stop 108. That is, element 104 and end stop 108 are aligned in directions CD1 and CD2. In the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, end stop 108 extends radially inward in direction RD (toward axis AR) from surface 120 of housing 102.

FIG. 5 shows rotary valve 106 in FIG. 4 in a second circumferential position. Note that the perspective of FIG. 5 is altered from that of FIG. 4 to better show the attributes discussed below. FIG. 5 illustrates the case in which force F2 is greater than force F1. Thus, force F2 overcomes force F1 and end stop 108 compresses element 104 in direction RD until portion 114 is in contact with end stop 108, for example, until portion 114 is in contact with surface 122 of end stop 108 facing in direction AD2. Therefore, end stop 108 continues rotating in direction CD1, after contacting side 116, to compress element 104 in direction AD2. In the example of FIG. 5, an entirety of element 104 is located beyond end stop 108 in direction AD2. In the example of FIG. 5, circle C1 passes through end stop 108 without passing through element 104. That is, element 104 and end stop 108 are no longer aligned in directions CD1 and CD2. Line L1, parallel to axis AR, passes through portion 114 and end stop 108.

FIG. 6 shows rotary valve 106 in FIG. 3 rotated in circumferential direction CD1 past the second circumferential position shown in FIG. 5. Note that the perspective of FIG. 6 is altered from that of FIGS. 4 and 5 to better show the attributes discussed below. To attain the position shown in FIG. 6 from the position shown in FIG. 5, valve 106 has been rotated by motor EM further in direction CD1 to slide end stop 108 along resilient element 104 and displace end stop 108 past element 104.

In an example embodiment, valve 100 includes rotary valve 124 non-rotatably connected to rotary valve 106. For example, valve 106 is a primary valve and valve 124 is a secondary valve. Actuator AC rotates both valve 106 and valve 124.

It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.

AC actuator

AR axis of rotation

C coolant

C1 circle

CCS coolant control system

CD1 circumferential direction

CD2 circumferential direction

CS control system

CU control unit

EM electric motor

F1-2 force

ICE internal combustion engine

L1 line

P pump

R radiator

RD radial direction

V vehicle

100 coolant control valve

102 housing

104 resilient element

106 rotary valve

108 end stop

110 portion of element 104

112 surface of housing 102

113 hole

114 portion of element 104

116 side of element 104

118 side of element 104

120 surface of housing 102

122 surface of end stop 108

124 rotary valve

200 prior art coolant control valve

202 housing

204 end stop

206 rotary valve

208 end stop