Valve unit including a mechanical coupler

Valve unit in particular for controlling the flow rate of an exhaust gas through the passage of a valve, the valve unit comprising

• a valve having a valve housing, at least one valve flap, the at least one valve flap being fixedly arranged on a rotatable valve shaft having a rotational axis,
• an actuator for actuating the valve flap, the actuator having an actuator shaft with a rotational axis,
• a mechanical coupler for rotational coupling of the actuator shaft and the valve shaft, the actuator shaft and the valve shaft being coaxial, the mechanical coupler comprising
• a rotational axis coinciding with the rotational axis of the actuator shaft and the rotational axis of the valve shaft,
• a first rotational member coupled to the actuator shaft and a second rotational member coupled to the valve shaft, and a bridge element for transmitting a force, particularly a torque between the first rotational member and the second rotational member,
• the first and the second rotational members having slots for receiving engagement pins of the bridge element,
• wherein the bridge element has a planar shape extending from the first rotational member to the second rotational member, and the planar bridge element has a body and at least two engagement pins projecting from the body of the planar bridge element at each of two of opposite ends of the body of the planar bridge element in a parallel direction to the rotational axis of the mechanical coupler, the engagement pins engaging with the corresponding slots in the rotational members, and the planar bridge element comprising at least one through-hole traversing the plane of the body of the planar bridge element extending from the first rotational member to the second rotational member.