Dual Fluid Valve Apparatus And System For Controlling Two Fluid Streams Incorporating Same

A valve apparatus, comprising:

• a main body having a main bore formed therein;
• a first valve housing secured to said main body and defining a first valve chamber;
• a second valve housing secured to said main body and defining a second valve chamber;
• a first inlet and a first outlet formed in said first valve housing in fluid communication with said first valve chamber;
• a second inlet and a second outlet in fluid communication with said second valve chamber;
• a first valve mechanism arranged within said first valve housing for controlling flow from said first inlet to said first outlet;
• a second valve mechanism arranged within said second valve housing for controlling flow from said second inlet to said second outlet;
• a thermal actuator positioned in said main bore of said main body and operatively coupled to said first valve mechanism and said second valve mechanism, said thermal actuator having a first activation setting for operating said first valve mechanism and a second activation setting for operating said second valve mechanism;
• a control fluid inlet opening formed in said main body and extending into said main bore providing fluid access to said thermal actuator and a control fluid outlet opening formed in said main body for discharging a control fluid from said main bore;
• wherein said first valve chamber is fluidly isolated from said second valve chamber.

A system for warming and/or cooling transmission fluid in an automobile vehicle having an engine and a transmission, comprising:

• a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the transmission for receiving transmission fluid exiting the transmission and directing transmission fluid back to the transmission via a return line, the heat exchanger having an inlet for receiving a coolant stream for heat transfer with the transmission fluid, and an outlet for discharging said coolant source from said heat exchanger;
• a valve apparatus arranged intermediate said transmission and said heat exchanger and being fluidly coupled to said transmission for receiving transmission fluid exiting said transmission and delivering said transmission fluid to said heat exchanger, the valve apparatus having a first valve chamber for receiving coolant from a first fluid source and a second valve chamber for receiving coolant from a second fluid source, the first valve chamber and second valve chamber each having a fluid outlet that are interconnected by a discharge channel that is fluidly coupled to an inlet of said heat exchanger for delivering the first or second coolant source to said heat exchanger;
• a first valve mechanism arranged within said first valve chamber for controlling flow of said first coolant source to said heat exchanger;
• a second valve mechanism arranged within said second valve chamber for controlling flow of said second coolant source to said heat exchanger;
• wherein said first valve chamber is fluidly isolated from said second valve chamber and wherein only one of said first coolant source and said second coolant source is directed through the discharge channel to the heat exchanger inlet at any one a time.

A valve apparatus, comprising:

• a first manifold portion for transmitting a control fluid therethrough, said first manifold portion having a fluid passage extending therethrough between a control fluid inlet and a control fluid outlet;
• an intermediate portion mounted to said first manifold portion, the intermediate portion having a first valve chamber and a second valve chamber, the first valve chamber having a first inlet for receiving a fluid from a first fluid source and a first outlet for discharging said fluid from said first valve chamber, the second valve chamber having a second inlet for receiving a fluid from a second fluid source and a second outlet for discharging said fluid from said second valve chamber, the first and second valve chambers of said intermediate portion being fluidly isolated from said first manifold portion and fluidly isolated from each other;
• a first valve mechanism arranged within said first valve chamber for controlling fluid flow between said first inlet and said first outlet;
• a second valve mechanism arranged within said second valve chamber for controlling fluid flow between said second inlet and second outlet;
• a first thermal actuator having a first activation temperature arranged within said first manifold portion in fluid communication with said fluid passage formed therein and operatively coupled to said first valve mechanism;
• a second thermal actuator having a second activation temperature arranged within said first manifold portion in fluid communication with said fluid passage formed therein and operatively coupled to said second valve mechanism, wherein said second activation temperature is greater than said first activation temperature;
• and
• a second manifold portion mounted to said intermediate portion and having a discharge channel formed therein that is fluidly coupled to both said first valve chamber and said second valve chamber and extends to a fluid outlet for discharging either said first fluid source or said second fluid source from said valve apparatus.