Valve unit

A method for adjusting a valve unit into a valve unit switching position, the valve unit including an actuator, a first valve, and a second valve, the first valve including a first valve housing and a first valve body that is rotatable about a first axis of rotation in the first valve housing, the second valve including a second valve housing and a second valve body that is rotatable about a second axis of rotation in the second valve housing, the first valve and the second valve being arranged coaxially to one another such that the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation coincide to form a common adjusting axis, the actuator being non-releasably coupled to the first valve body and releasably coupled to the second valve body through the first valve body, the first valve body in the first valve housing being rotatable with the actuator in a first direction of rotation rotating about the adjusting axis and into a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation, and the second valve body in the state coupled to the actuator being co-rotatable with the first valve body in the first direction of rotation and/or in the second direction of rotation and in the state decoupled from the actuator is not co-rotatable with the first valve body at least in the second direction of rotation, the method comprising:

• in a coupling step, passively or actively coupling the second valve body to the actuator;
• in a first adjusting step, rotating the second valve body with the actuator in the second valve housing in the first direction of rotation or in the second direction of rotation until the second valve reaches the switching position correlating to the a desired valve unit switching position;
• in a decoupling step, passively or actively decoupling the second valve body from the actuator;
• in a second adjusting step, rotating the first valve body with the actuator in the first valve housing in the first direction of rotation or in the second direction of rotation until the first valve reaches the switching position correlating to the desired valve unit switching position;
• and
• after the decoupling step and before the second adjusting step, carrying out an intermediate step during which the first valve is adjusted into a position between a previous switching position and the switching position correlating to the desired valve unit switching position and therefore the valve unit is placed in an intermediate position,
• wherein the first valve body and the second valve body are connected to one another via a rigid coupling with a switchable freewheel such that the rigid coupling is only provided when the first valve body is rotated in the first direction and no rigid coupling is provided when the first valve body is rotated in an opposite direction of rotation.

A valve unit, comprising:

• an actuator;
• a first valve;
• a second valve;
• and
• a rigid coupling,
• wherein the first valve comprises a first valve housing and a first valve body that is rotatable about a first axis of rotation in the first valve housing,
• wherein the second valve comprises a second valve housing and a second valve body that is rotatable about a second axis of rotation in the second valve housing,
• wherein the first valve and the second valve are arranged coaxially to one another such that the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation coincide to form a common adjusting axis,
• wherein the actuator is non-releasably coupled to the first valve body and releasably coupled to the second valve body through the first valve body,
• wherein the first valve body in the first valve housing is rotatable with the actuator in a first direction of rotation rotating about the adjusting axis and into a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation,
• wherein the second valve body in the state coupled to the actuator is co-rotatable with the first valve body in the first direction of rotation and/or in the second direction of rotation and in the state decoupled from the actuator is not co-rotatable with the first valve body at least in the second direction of rotation,
• wherein, to place the valve unit in an intermediate position, the first valve is configured to be adjusted into a position between a previous switching position and a switching position correlating to a desired valve unit switching position after the second valve body is in the state decoupled from the actuator and before being in a state re-coupled to the actuator, and
• wherein the first valve body and the second valve body are connected to one another via the rigid coupling with a switchable freewheel such that the rigid coupling is only provided when the first valve body is rotated in a first direction and no rigid coupling is provided when the first valve body is rotated in an opposite direction of rotation.