# US 2014/0150908 A1 · Pressure control valve apparatus having a flow-guiding device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150908 A1 - Document ID: US20140150908A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/131,968 - Filed: 2012-06-14 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-19 - Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Inventors: Karlheinz Mayr; Markus Moosmann; Frank Hamma; Hubert Remmlinger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150908A1 ## CPC - G05D 16/2033: {the plurality of throttling means being arranged in series} - F16K 27/029: {Electromagnetically actuated valves} - F16K 31/0658: {Armature and valve member being one single element} - F16K 47/12: the throttling channel being of helical form - G05D 16/2024: {the throttling means being a multiple-way valve} - F16K 31/0631: {with ball shaped valve members} - F16K 31/0637: {with ball shaped valve members} - Y10T 137/88046: Biased valve with external operator - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - 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)} - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A pressure control valve unit (10) for a fluid with at least one inlet area (P) and first and second outlet areas (A, T) which can be connected for fluid flow with one another by two mutually coupled seat valves (23, 24). An incoming fluid flow, from the inlet area (P) to the first and second outlet areas (A, T), can be adjusted by way of the first seat valve (23), and a fluid outflow, between the first and second outlet areas (A, T), can be adjusted by way of the second seat valve (24). In this case, a flow-guiding device (26) is arranged, upstream from the first seat valve (23) in the inlet area (P), and imposes a specific flow characteristic upon the inflowing fluid in the area of the first seat valve (23). ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-14. (canceled) ### Claim 15 A pressure control valve unit (10) for a fluid, with at least one inlet area (P) and first and second outlet areas (A. T), which are fluidically connectable with one another by two mutually coupled seat valves (23, 24), an incoming fluid flow from the inlet area (P) to the first and the second outlet areas (A, T) is adjustable via the first seat valve (23), a fluid outflow, between the first and the second outlet areas (A, T), is adjustable via the second seat valve (24), and a flow-guiding device (26) being arranged in the inlet area (P), upstream of the first seat valve (23), and the flow-guiding device (26) imposing a specific flow characteristic upon inflowing fluid in an area of the first seat valve (23). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 15, wherein the flow-guiding device (26) is designed such that the fluid arriving at the first seat valve (23) flows along a closing element (231) of the first seat valve (23) substantially in the form of a thin film. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 15, wherein the flow-guiding device (26) is designed such that a spiral, twisting motion is imparted to the inflowing fluid in the area of the first seat valve (23). ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 15, wherein a second flow-guiding device (28) is arranged upstream of the second seat valve (24), fluidically between the first and the second outlet areas (A, T), and is designed such that a spiral, twisting motion is imparted to the fluid flowing to the second outlet area (T) in an area of the second seat valve (24). ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 17, wherein the first and the second flow-guiding devices (26, 28) are designed such that the spiral fluid flows, through the first (23) and the second (24) seat valves, have the same rotational direction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 15, wherein the flow-guiding device (26) has at least one flow-guiding channel (261) which opens at least approximately tangentially onto a valve aperture (234) of the first seat valve (23) in the inlet area (P). ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 20, wherein the at least one flow-guiding channel (261) extends, in a downstream direction, as a funnel shape toward the valve aperture (234) of the first seat valve (23). ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 21, wherein the funnel shape has an opening angle (ALPHA) of between 40° to 80°. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 20, wherein a width (B) of the at least one flow-guiding channel (261) decreases with increasing proximity to a longitudinal axis (L) of the pressure control valve unit. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 23, wherein a cross-section of the flow-guiding channel (261), along a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (L) of the pressure control valve unit, is propeller-shaped. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 15, wherein a valve control edge (233) of the first seat valve (23) is at least approximately either acute-angled or right-angled (BETA). ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 15, wherein a valve aperture (234), of the first seat valve (23), widens out continuously downstream of either a valve control edge (233) or a control surface of the first seat valve (23). ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 15, further comprises an electromagnet (12, 13, 14) for actuating closing elements (231, 241) of the first and second seat valves (23, 24). ### Claim 28 (depends on 28) The pressure control valve unit (10) according to claim 28, wherein the electromagnet (12, 13, 14) comprises a proportional electromagnet. ### Claim 29 A hydraulic pressure control valve unit (10) of a vehicle transmission with at least one inlet area (P) and first and second outlet areas (A, T), which are fluidically connectable with one another by two mutually coupled seat valves (23, 24), an incoming fluid flow from the inlet area (P) to the first and the second outlet areas (A, T) is adjustable via the first seat valve (23), a fluid outflow between the first and the second outlet areas (A, T) is adjustable via the second seat valve (24), and a flow-guiding device (26) being arranged upstream of the first seat valve (23) in the inlet area (P), and the flow-guiding device (26) imposing a specific flow characteristic upon the inflowing fluid in an area of the first seat valve (23). ### Claim 30 A pressure control valve unit (10) for a fluid, the pressure control valve unit comprising: a first seat valve arranged in a direction of fluid flow between an inlet area and a first outlet area of the pressure control valve unit, an incoming fluid flow from the inlet area to the first outlet area and a second outlet area being adjustable via the first seat valve; a second seat valve being arranged in a direction of fluid flow between the first outlet area and the second outlet area of the pressure control valve unit, the first and the second seat valves being mutually coupled, a fluid outflow between the first outlet area and the second outlet area being adjustable via the second seat valve; and a first flow-guiding device being arranged in the inlet area of the pressure control valve unit, upstream of the first seat valve, and the first flow-guiding device imposing a spiral, twisting motion upon the incoming fluid flow in an area of the first seat valve. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The pressure control valve unit according to claim 30, wherein a second flow-guiding device is arranged upstream of the second seat valve, in the direction of fluid flow between the first outlet area and the second outlet area, and the second flow-guiding device imposes a spiral, twisting motion upon the fluid flowing to the second outlet area in an area of the second seat valve. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The pressure control valve unit according to claim 31, wherein the first and the second flow-guiding devices are designed such that the spiral, twisting motion of fluid, flowing through the first and the second seat valves, flows in a common rotational direction.