Valve assembly for controlling a flow of a first liquid and a flow of a second liquid in a vehicle, valve system, and method for controlling a flow of a first liquid and a flow of a second liquid in a vehicle

A valve system comprising at least a first valve assembly and a second valve assembly each comprising

• a valve body having:
• a first supply path for the first liquid,
• a first return path for the first liquid,
• a second supply path for the second liquid,
• a second return path for the second liquid,
• a first outlet for supplying liquid to a first component,
• a first inlet for receiving liquid from the first component,
• a second outlet for supplying liquid to a second component,
• a second inlet for receiving liquid from the second component, and
• a singular valve element movably supported on or in the valve body for at least:
• selectively branching off first liquid from the first supply path to the first component and returning first liquid from the first component into the first return path,
• selectively branching off first liquid from the first supply path to the second component and returning first liquid from the second component into the first return path,
• selectively branching off second liquid from the second supply path to the first component and returning second liquid from the first component into the second return path, or
• selectively branching off second liquid from the second supply path to the second component and returning second liquid from the second component into the second return path,
• wherein the first supply path of the first valve assembly is fluidically connected to the first supply path of the second valve assembly,
• wherein the first return path of the first valve assembly is fluidically connected to the first return path of the second valve assembly,
• wherein the second supply path of the first valve assembly is fluidically connected to the second supply path of the second valve assembly, and
• wherein the second return path of the first valve assembly is fluidically connected to the second return path of the second valve assembly.

A method for controlling a flow of a first liquid and a flow of a second liquid in a vehicle using a valve assembly comprising

• a valve body having:
• a first supply path for the first liquid,
• a first return path for the first liquid,
• a second supply path for the second liquid,
• a second return path for the second liquid,
• a first outlet for supplying liquid to a first component,
• a first inlet for receiving liquid from the first component,
• a second outlet for supplying liquid to a second component,
• a second inlet for receiving liquid from the second component, and
• a singular valve element movably supported on or in the valve body for at least:
• selectively branching off first liquid from the first supply path to the first component and returning first liquid from the first component into the first return path,
• selectively branching off first liquid from the first supply path to the second component and returning first liquid from the second component into the first return path,
• selectively branching off second liquid from the second supply path to the first component and returning second liquid from the first component into the second return path, or
• selectively branching off second liquid from the second supply path to the second component and returning second liquid from the second component into the second return path, the method comprising at least one of:
• branching off first liquid from the first supply path to the first component only and bypassing second liquid via the second supply path in a first operational mode,
• branching off first liquid from the first supply path to the second component only and bypassing second liquid via the second supply path in a second operational mode,
• branching off first liquid from the first supply path to the first component and to the second component and bypassing second liquid via the second supply path in a third operational mode,
• branching off second liquid from the second supply path to the first component only and bypassing first liquid via the first supply path in a fourth operational mode,
• branching off second liquid from the second supply path to the second component only and bypassing first liquid via the first supply path in a fifth operational mode,
• branching off second liquid from the second supply path to the first component and to the second component and bypassing first liquid via the first supply path in a sixth operational mode,
• branching off first liquid from the first supply path to the first component only and branching off second liquid from the second supply path to the second component only in a seventh operational mode,
• branching off first liquid from the first supply path to the second component only and branching off second liquid from the second supply path to the first component only in an eighth operational mode, and/or
• bypassing first liquid via the first supply path and bypassing second liquid via the second supply path in a ninth operational mode.