Fluid-dispensing motorized valve and associated manufacturing method
AssigneeVernet
InventorsGuillaume Julien Gautier Graindorge, Thierry Maraux
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This valve includes a housing, which includes a body made of molded plastic and defining an internal volume connected to the outside of the housing by an inlet and outlets. An electric pump, arranged in a first sub-volume, is provided with an intake opening into the inlet and a discharge opening into a passage connecting the first sub-volume to a second sub-volume by opening into it along a passage axis. A shutter is arranged in the second sub-volume in a manner that can be moved by an electromechanical actuating device to control the opening and closing of the outlets. The body defines an opening, through which the second sub-volume is directly connected to the outside of the body.
Claims12
A fluid-dispensing motorized valve 1, including:
- a housing that includes a body made of molded plastic material and defining an internal volume through which a fluid passes through the housing, this internal volume being connected to an outside of the housing by an inlet of the housing, through which the fluid enters the internal volume, and by at least two outlets , of the housing, through which the fluid exits the internal volume,
- an electric pump, which is arranged in a first sub-volume of the internal volume, and which is provided with an intake, opening into the inlet of the housing, and a discharge, opening into a passage of the internal volume, this passage connecting the first sub-volume to a second sub-volume of the internal volume by opening into this second sub-volume along a passage axis,
- a shutter, which is arranged in the second sub-volume in a movable manner relative to the body of the housing to control the opening and closing of all or part of the at least two outlets of the housing, and
- an electromechanical actuation device, which is carried by the housing, and which is suitable for driving the shutter in movement relative to the body of the housing, wherein the body 11 of the housing 10 defines an opening:
- by which the second sub-volume V13 is directly connected to the outside of the body,
- which is formed by molding-demolding of the housing body, being aligned with the passage along the passage axis, and
- at which a dedicated member of the valve is disposed, selectively chosen from one or more sealing members each suitable for sealing the opening in a fluid-tight manner, and one or more flow members each suitable for allowing fluid to flow through the opening, forming one of said at least two outlets of the housing.
A method for manufacturing a valve according to any one of the preceding claims, this method comprising:
- a selection step, wherein the dedicated member of the valve,
- a first manufacturing step, wherein plastic material is introduced into a mold to form the body of the housing by molding and, in the mold, surrounds a molding core extending along the passage axis to form the passage and the opening, then the mold and the molding core are removed to release the housing body, and
- a second manufacturing step, wherein the dedicated member selected in the selection step is formed at the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.