The present invention relates to a coolant valve having integrated sensor ports disposed along inlet and/or outlet ports of the valve with integrated sensors therein.
Different types of sensors, such as pressure sensors, temperature sensors, pressuring and temperature sensors are used to monitor pressure and/or temperatures of coolant systems. Existing coolant valve designs do not have such sensors. Instead, sensors are mounted along the coolant lines as separate components. When adding the valves, a connection is required at the valve in the stream or flow of the valves. A possibility exists of unwanted leaking at the joints, operators failing to install the correct sensors at specified locations, or other issues.
What is needed is a valve configurable or even pre-equipped with specific sensors thereby simplifying the assembly process to the customer.
It is an object of many embodiments of the present invention to provide an improved valve configuration having integrated port locations along inlets and/or outlets of the valve.
It is another object of many embodiments of the present invention to provide an improved valve construction with integrated sensors.
Accordingly, in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, an improved valve such as a coolant valve is provided preferably having integrated sensor ports along at least some of the inlet/outlet ports, possibly with sensors for use in monitoring the performance of the system where the valve is to be employed. Specifically, a valve may have a single inlet and dual outlet choice construction such as shown in
Ports may be provided with either threaded, molded or other connectors and provide either a metal sensor connection to a plastic port assembly possibly using metal inserts, direct threading or other connection system.
The valves preferably provide either or both of selected inlet and outlet ports with an integrated sensor port preferably extending perpendicularly to the direction of flow for many embodiments. This sensor port preferably receives a specific sensor inserted therein and seals in a fluid tight engagement with the port. The sensor port is located internally disposed towards the stemshell from the applicable inlet/outlet port.
Accordingly, a much more compact construction can be provided to the marketplace as has previously been provided. Also, by pre-providing sensors with the valve, the technicians assembling the system have less opportunity to make mistakes.
The particular features and advantages of the inventions with other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Valve body 18 preferably has a stemshell or other controller internal thereto to direct the flow as desired by an operator, in accordance with a program, etc. At least one if not all of the port members 20,22,24 extending from a stemshell housing or valve body 18 having the ports 12,14,16 at ends of the port members 20-24 respectively with sensor port bodies 26,28,30 disposed intermediate the inlet/outlet ports 12,14,16 and the valve body 18. The sensor ports 26,28,30 can be of various constructions but are preferably perpendicularly oriented to the direction of flow from the various inlet and outlet ports 12,14,16.
This type construction permits a sensor such as sensors 32,34,36 to be directed into the sensor port bodies 26,28,30 and then secured to the sensor port bodies 38,40,42 such as with cooperating threads as would be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the construction of the nuts 44,46 which have internally directed threads which may cooperate with extending directed threads of the sensor ports. Other connection systems or otherwise connecting a sensor 30 internal to sensor port bodies 38 may be provided with at least some embodiments. Water tight connections are preferable for many embodiments.
While providing the sensor port bodies 26,28,30 along and/or integral to the various inlet and outlet port bodies 40,42,44, more compact constructions can then be provided than prior art designs where the sensors were connected after the end of the ports 12,14,16 along other portions of the system, such as a cooling system. This construction allows the sensor port bodies 26,28,30 to be integral to inlet/outlet the port members 20,22,24 such as molded with or formed without later connection such as joining, welding, etc. This construction also permits sensors 32-36 to be connected to the port bodies 26-30 before sending to a customer (normally a manufacturer) for at least some embodiments. Sensors 32-36 may have connectors 48,50,52 to connect to various communication/electrical systems such as 2-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin or other connections. By pre-connecting sensor 32-36, there is less opportunity for mistakes later in the assembly process, such as installing the wrong sensor, installing the correct sensor at the wrong location, or having leaks in the system, etc.
Port 104 is at an end 105 of port body 110 having a sensor port 112 integrally extending along a portion thereof with the sensor port body 114 being oriented perpendicular to the flow port 104. Thus, a sensor 116 can be inserted into the sensor port 112 and secured thereto such as with the nut 118 connecting to external (or possibly internal) threads on the sensor port body 114 to provide a watertight connection and the pin connector 120 utilized to plug the sensor 116 into pins for connectivity. Other sensors 116 may connect to sensor port 112 and/or communication systems differently.
Standard automotive or other connectors (2-pin, 3-pin, 4-pin, etc.) or others could be used at the pin connection 120. With such a construction as shown in
Accordingly, unlike prior art designs, the sensor ports 112 are located intermediate the ports 104,106,108 and the valve body 124 for many embodiments thus making the design more compact than has been done in prior art designs and more efficient in terms of constructions by being able to pre-provide the desired sensor 116 whether it be a temperature, pressure or pressure/temperature sensor and/or other sensor connected or preconnected to the valve 100 at the sensor port(s) 112 possibly before shipping to the customer.
By pre-providing the sensor ports 26,28,30 etc., the manufacturer has an ability to provide a particularly compact valve 10,100 construction possibly with pre-installed sensors 32,34,36 etc. If a sensor is not utilized in this type valve, then the sensor ports 26,28,30 could be capped to prevent leakage therethrough. Alternatively, it may be that some of the port bodies 20,22,24 are replaced with or have traditional port bodies so as not to provide a sensor port thereon for at least some of the ports 12,14,16 etc.
Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will present themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
Having set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is:
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/715,394 filed Apr. 7, 2022, which, in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/171,781 filed Apr. 7, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63171781 | Apr 2021 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17715394 | Apr 2022 | US |
Child | 18234437 | US |