# US 8,701,603 B2 · Control valve unit for a liquid circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,701,603 B2 - Document ID: US8701603B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/549,448 - Filed: 2012-07-14 - Published: 2012-11-08 - Granted: 2014-04-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-01-14 - Assignees: Mann+Hummel GmbH - Applicants: Stéphane Warnery; Pascal Noiseau; Mickael Cormerais - Inventors: Stéphane Warnery; Pascal Noiseau; Mickael Cormerais - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8701603B2 ## CPC - F01P 7/16: by thermostatic control - F01P 7/167: {by adjusting the pre-set temperature according to engine parameters, e.g. engine load, engine speed} - F01P 11/16: concerning coolant temperature (F01P11/20 takes precedence) - F16K 31/52416: {comprising a multiple-way lift valve} - F01P 2007/143: {using restrictions} - F01P 2007/146: {using valves} - Y10T 137/7737: Thermal responsive - Y10T 137/8158: With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means - Y10T 137/8242: Electrical - Y10T 137/86493: Multi-way valve unit - Y10T 137/87024: Cam determines sequence - Y10T 137/87064: Oppositely movable cam surfaces - Y10T 137/87692: With common valve operator - Y10T 137/87748: Pivoted or rotary motion converted to reciprocating valve head motion - F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) - 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 control valve unit for a liquid circuit of an internal combustion engine, includes a valve housing (1) having at least one inlet opening (2) or outlet opening (2′) and at least two outlet openings (31, 32, 33) or inlet openings (31′, 32′, 33′) and at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) actuated by a control device (22). The closing elements selectively open or close an associated outlet or inlet opening. The closing elements may be continuously adjusted between maximum open and closed positions. The control device (22) includes at least one displaceable or rotatable cam (6) and includes at least two cam tracks (71, 72, 73), each of which is assigned to a closing element (41, 42, 43) and acts on at least one driving pin (11) that is in contact with said closing element (41, 42, 43). The cams (6) are adjusted by an actuator (8). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control valve unit for controlling fluid flow in a cooling liquid circuit for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a valve housing (1) including at least one first inlet opening (2) or first outlet opening (2′); at least two second outlet openings (31, 32, 33) or at least two second inlet openings (31′, 32′, 33′); at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) axially movable and operable to close off flow between said first opening and said second openings; a control device (22) actuating opening and closing of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) in order to selectively open or close a correlated second outlet opening (31, 32, 33) or second inlet opening (31′, 32′, 33′); wherein each of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) is adjustable continuously by said control device (22) between a maximum open position and a closed position in which it is forced onto a seat (5) and in this way blocks said flow; wherein said control device (22) comprises at least one moveable or rotatable cam (6) and at least two cam paths (71, 72, 73) that are each correlated with respective closing elements (41, 42, 43) to continuously adjust said respective closing elements (41, 42, 43); wherein said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) are each secured to a follower pin (11); wherein movement or rotation of said rotatable cam (6) adjusting said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) is realized by an actuator (8); wherein the control valve unit (21) is arranged downstream of the internal combustion engine relative to the liquid flowing through. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 1, wherein geometry of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) is designed such that the force of the static and of the dynamic pressure exerted by liquid flowing onto said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) acts to urge said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) into their closed position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 2, wherein said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) each have a respective one of said follower pin (11) secured to both axial sides of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43); wherein said follower pins (11) on each axial side are slideably mounted into a respect one to two guide bearings (131, 132); wherein said guide bearings (131, 132) are fixedly mounted to the housing (1); wherein in at least one of these guide bearings (131, 132) radial play between said guide pin (11) and a respective one of said guide bearings (131, 132) is provided; wherein said play compensates alignment deviations of said follower pin (11) or orientation errors of said seat (5); wherein said cam (6) is comprised of a cam disk that is caused to rotate by said actuator (8); wherein a measuring device detecting an actual measured position of said cam or said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43), said measuring device providing a signal for correcting an actual measured cam or closing element position to a desired cam or closing element position through said actuator; wherein said measuring device comprises at least one Hall sensor (18); and at least one corresponding magnet (19) arranged on any of said cam (6), follower pin (11), or drive shaft (9). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 1, wherein said cam (6) is comprised of a cam disk that is caused to rotate by said actuator (8). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 1, wherein said housing (1) of said control valve unit (21) is mounted by a flange directly onto an engine block or a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine; wherein said first opening (2, 2′) immediately corresponds with an outlet opening or inlet opening of the counter flange on the engine block or cylinder head; wherein liquid flows directly without an additional connecting piece between the internal combustion engine and the control valve unit (21). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) includes a fail-safe function provided in such a way that it assumes a predetermined closed or open position in case of a malfunction of the control valve unit (21) or of the internal combustion engine. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 1, wherein liquid flows from said first inlet opening (2) arranged immediately in front of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) and then into separate second outlet openings (31, 32, 33) downstream of the closing elements (41, 42, 43); or liquid flows from separate ones of said at least two second inlet openings (31′, 32′, 33′) arranged upstream of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) then into a common first outlet opening (2′) immediately downstream of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 1, wherein said control valve unit (21) is arranged upstream of the internal combustion engine relative to the liquid flowing through. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least two cam paths (71, 72, 73) of the control device (22) are adjustable relative to each other; or/and at least one of said at least two cam paths (71, 72, 73) can be decoupled for deactivation of at least one of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) for changing the control behavior of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) relative to the cam (6). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 1, wherein said control device (22) in an actuating direction of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) is adjustably supported; whereby spacing and thus flow cross-section between said seat (5) and a corresponding one of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) changes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The control valve unit for a liquid circuit according to claim 1, wherein said control valve unit (21) comprises a temperature sensor (10); and a control device is provided that, when the at least two closing devices are closed, the control device temporarily opens at least one of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) in intervals in order to supply liquid from the liquid circuit to the temperature sensor (10) to provide a temperature measurement during the actual closed position of the closing elements. ### Claim 12 A control valve unit for controlling fluid flow in a cooling liquid of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a valve housing (1) including at least one first inlet opening (2) or first outlet opening (2′); at least two second outlet openings (31, 32, 33) or at least two second inlet openings (31′, 32′, 33′); at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) axially movable and operable to close off flow between said first opening and said second openings; a control device (22) actuating opening and closing of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) in order to selectively open or close a correlated second outlet opening (31, 32, 33) or second inlet opening (31′, 32′, 33′); wherein each of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) is adjustable continuously by said control device (22) between a maximum open position and a closed position in which it is forced onto a seat (5) and in this way blocks said flow; wherein said control device (22) comprises at least one moveable or rotatable cam (6) and at least two cam paths (71, 72, 73) that are each correlated with respective closing elements (41, 42, 43) to continuously adjust said respective closing elements (41, 42, 43); wherein said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) are each secured to a follower in (11); wherein movement or rotation of said rotatable cam (6) adjusting said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) is realized by an actuator (8); wherein said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) each have a respective one of said follower pin (11) secured to both axial sides of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43); wherein said follower pins (11) on each axial side are slideably mounted into a respect one to two guide bearings (131, 132); wherein said guide bearings (131, 132) are fixedly mounted to the housing (1); wherein in a respective one of said guide bearings (131, 132), said guide in (11) is received with side to side radial play into said respective one of said guide bearings (131, 132), said side to side radial play providing side to side compensation of alignment deviations of said follower in (11) or compensation of orientation errors of said closing element on said seat (5). ### Claim 13 A control valve unit for controlling fluid flow in a cooling liquid of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a valve housing (1) including at least one first inlet opening (2) or first outlet opening (2′); at least two second outlet openings (31, 32, 33) or at least two second inlet openings (31′, 32′, 33′); at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) axially movable and operable to close off flow between said first opening and said second openings; a control device (22) actuating opening and closing of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) in order to selectively open or close a correlated second outlet opening (31, 32, 33) or second inlet opening (31′, 32′, 33′); wherein each of said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) is adjustable continuously by said control device (22) between a maximum open position and a closed position in which it is forced onto a seat (5) and in this way blocks said flow; wherein said control device (22) comprises at least one moveable or rotatable cam (6) and at least two cam paths (71, 72, 73) that are each correlated with respective closing elements (41, 42, 43) to continuously adjust said respective closing elements (41, 42, 43); wherein said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) are each secured to a follower in (11); wherein movement or rotation of said rotatable cam (6) adjusting said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43) is realized by an actuator (8); a measuring device detecting an actual measured position of said cam or said at least two closing elements (41, 42, 43), said measuring device providing a signal for correcting an actual measured cam or closing element position to a desired cam or closing element position through said actuator; wherein said measuring device comprises at least one Hall sensor (18); and at least one corresponding magnet (19) arranged on any of said cam (6), follower pin (11), or drive shaft (9); wherein said magnet (19) is arranged in fluid flowing through an interior of the control valve unit (21); said Hall sensor (18) is arranged away from and separated by a wall from fluid flow in said control valve unit (21).