# US 11,306,646 B2 · Control valve for a heat management module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,646 B2 - Document ID: US11306646B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/051,823 - Filed: 2019-05-07 - Published: 2021-04-22 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-08 - Assignees: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG - Applicants: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG - Inventors: Sebastian Hurst - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306646B2 ## CPC - F01P 7/167: {by adjusting the pre-set temperature according to engine parameters, e.g. engine load, engine speed} - F16K 37/0041: {for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence)} - F16K 1/42: Valve seats (for double-seat valves F16K1/44) - F16K 27/029: {Electromagnetically actuated valves} - F16K 31/0689: {Braking of the valve element} - F01P 2007/146: {using valves} - F16K 31/0658: {Armature and valve member being one single element} - F16K 31/1221: {one side of the piston being spring-loaded} - F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract A control valve for a heat management module of a motor vehicle is provided, which includes a valve disk, a valve shaft connected to the valve disk, and a shaft bearing on which the valve shaft is mounted such that it can move axially from a bearing surface. The control valve further includes a radial spring biased radially towards the shaft bearing. A receiving groove of the valve shaft includes an inhibiting section and a free-running section that are axially separated by a clamping wedge, The radial spring, in the region of the bearing surface is unable to overcome the clamping wedge and the radial spring is pressable radially by the clamping wedge such that the valve shaft is inhibited in the axial direction away from the free-running section. A control position can be held in a continuous manner without energy in a small installation space. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control valve for a heat management module of a motor vehicle, the control valve comprising: a valve disk configured to rest on a valve seat in a closed position, a valve shaft connected to the valve disk, the valve shaft configured to move along a predetermined travel path defined by a first end stop and a second end stop, and the valve shaft having a receiving groove, the receiving groove including: an inhibiting section, a free-running section, and a clamping wedge configured to axially separate the inhibiting section and the free-running section, and a shaft bearing configured to support the valve shaft such that the receiving groove can move axially within the shaft bearing, the shaft bearing having at least one reversing groove, a radial spring disposed within the receiving groove of the valve shaft, the radial spring biased radially towards the shaft bearing, wherein: i) when the radial spring is moved in a first axial direction to a region of the shaft bearing between the first and second end stops, movement of the valve shaft in a second axial direction is inhibited by the clamping wedge, and ii) when the radial spring is received in a first one of the at least one reversing groove, the clamping wedge can be overcome by the radial spring so that the valve shaft can move in the second axial direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control valve of claim 1, further comprising a second one of the at least one reversing groove, wherein the first one and second one of that at least one reversing groove are arranged at respective first and second ends of the predetermined travel path of the valve shaft, and when the radial spring is received by the first one of the at least one reversing groove, movement of the valve shaft in the second axial direction is inhibited, and when the radial spring is received by the second one of the at least one reversing groove, movement of the valve shaft in the first axial direction is inhibited. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control valve of claim 1, further comprising a return spring configured to provide a return force on the valve shaft in the second axial direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control valve of claim 1, further comprising an axially sealing element arranged axially between the shaft bearing and the valve disk, such that the valve shaft on a bearing shaft side is protected against ingress of liquid from a valve disk side. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control valve of claim 1, further comprising a displacement sensor arranged on the shaft bearing, the displacement sensor configured to detect an axial position of the valve shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A heat management arrangement for a motor vehicle, the heat management arrangement comprising: a coolant circuit, a pressure source, a heat emission interface for a heat sink, a heat absorption interface for a heat source, and a control valve according to claim 1, wherein the coolant circuit can be opened and blocked by means of the control valve, so that a volume flow of the coolant can be changed by switching the control valve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control valve of claim 1, wherein a position of the valve shaft can be held at one of any axial position between the first and second end stops as the valve shaft moves in the first axial direction from the first end stop to the second end stop. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control valve of claim 1, wherein the one of any axial position can be held passively without electrical energy. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The control valve of claim 2, wherein the first one and the second one of the at least one reversing groove are configured as the respective first and second end stops. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The control valve of claim 1, wherein movement of the valve shaft in the second axial direction is inhibited by a radially pressing of the radial spring by the clamping wedge. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control valve of claim 10, wherein the clamping wedge includes an inhibitor ramp inclined radially towards the bearing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control valve of claim 11, wherein the inhibitor ramp slopes radially toward the bearing from the inhibiting section to the free-running section, forming the inhibitor ramp, and drops steeply to the free-running section. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The control valve of claim 3, wherein the return spring biases the valve disk to the closed position. ### Claim 14 A control valve for a heat management module of a motor vehicle, the control valve comprising: a valve disk configured to rest on a valve seat in a closed position, a valve shaft connected to the valve disk, the valve shaft having a receiving groove, the receiving groove having a clamping wedge, a shaft bearing configured to support the valve shaft such that the valve shaft can move longitudinally within the shaft bearing, the shaft bearing having a first reversing groove, a radial spring disposed within the receiving groove of the valve shaft, the radial spring biased radially towards the shaft bearing, and in a first axial position of the valve shaft, the radial spring is received by the first reversing groove so that movement of the valve shaft is inhibited in a first axial direction by a first end wall of the receiving groove and a first flank of the first reversing groove, and in a second axial position of the valve shaft, the radial spring directly contacts a bearing surface of the shaft bearing, and wherein the bearing surface is outside of the first reversing groove so that movement of the valve shaft is inhibited in the first axial direction by the clamping wedge, and the clamping wedge is configured to radially press the radial spring towards the bearing surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control valve of claim 14, wherein the valve shaft can be held in the second axial position without electrical energy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The control valve of claim 14, further comprising a second reversing groove arranged on the shaft bearing, and in a third axial position of the valve shaft, the radial spring is received by the second reversing groove so that movement of the valve shaft is inhibited in a second axial direction by a second end wall of the receiving groove and a second flank of the second reversing groove. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control valve of claim 16, wherein during movement of the valve shaft from the third axial position to the second axial position, the first end wall directly contacts the radial spring. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The control valve of claim 17, wherein during movement of the valve shaft from the third axial position to the second axial position, the radial spring is moved out of the second reversing groove via a return ramp arranged on the second reversing groove. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The control valve of claim 16, further comprising a return spring configured to provide a return force on the valve shaft in the first axial direction to move the clamping wedge towards the radial spring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The control valve of claim 19, wherein the return spring and the valve disk are arranged within a wet compartment of the control valve.