GB2194620A

GB2194620A - A thermostat assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2194620A
Application number: GB08719964A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roland Saur; Jurgen Kunze
Original assignee: Behr Thomson Dehnstoffregler GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Behr Thomson Dehnstoffregler GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1986-09-03
Filing date: 1987-08-24
Publication date: 1988-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 2007-08-24
Also published as: ES2004458A6; GB2194620B; DE8623574U1; GB8719964D0

Abstract

A thermostat assembly comprising a cover-like housing element 1 which has a mounting flange 2 and a connecting branch 3 for a coolant hose, there being provided between a plane of the mounting flange and the connecting branch 3 a valve seat 4 for a thermostatic valve 5 for closing a coolant path between the connecting branch and the said plane, has a vent valve 10 by-passing the thermostatic valve 5, integrated in the housing element and containing a passage 11 which leads from the plane of the mounting flange to the connecting branch and which, immediately following the plane of the mounting flange 2, has a widened section 13 for receiving a ball 12, into which section a locking means 14 for the ball 12 is fitted on the side facing the plane of the mounting flange. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A thermostat housing The invention relates to a thermostat housing comprising a cover-like housing element which has a mounting flange and a connecting branch for a coolant hose, there being provided between the mounting flange and connecting branch a valve seat for a thermostatic valve. It is known for the valve to have a plunger which is supported against an extension of the housing element and a closing spring which abuts a shoulder retained on the housing element.

With thermostat housings of the type mentioned in the introduction it is known practice to provide an air vent valve by-passing the thermostat valve. The vent valve is then in the form of a separate sub-assembly consisting of a ball and a cage which is spaced from and surrounds this ball and which is provided with openings.

The problem underlying the invention is to provide a thermostat housing of the type mentioned in the introduction in a simplified constructional form.

According to the present invention there is provided a thermostat housing comprising a cover-like housing element which has a mounting flange and a connecting branch for a coolant hose, there being provided between a plane of the mounting flange and the connecting branch a valve seat for a thermostatic valve for closing a coolant path between the connecting branch and the said plane, wherein a vent valve adapted to by-pass the thermostat valve, is integrated in the housing element and contains a passage which leads from the plane of the mounting flange to the connecting branch and which, immediately following the plane of the mounting flange, has a widened section for receiving a closure member, into which section locking means for the closure member is fitted on the side facing the plane of the mounting flange.

In the case of this thermostat housing the vent valve is integrated in such a manner that it does not project over an outer face of the thermostat housing, nor in particular over the surface of the mounting flange. This prevents the vent valve from being disturbed or coming into contact with other components both during assembly and disassembly of the thermostat housing. Accordingly, the vent valve is also prevented from being damaged and thereby rendered inoperative during assembly or disassembly.

In a preferred development of the invention it is proposed that on the side of the connecting branch-relative to the valve seat-the housing element be provided with means to accommodate a temperature-responsive switch submerged in the coolant path. The thermostat housing is thus associated with an additional function. The temperature-responsive switch is arranged to be located in such a manner that it is subjected to the coolant only if the thermostat valve has opened. This ensures that the temperature-responsive switch does not respond as long as the thermostat housing is still closed so that when installed in for example a vehicle, the vehicle engine is brought to its operating temperature as quickly as possible with the coolant in a closed circuit.In an advantageous development it is proposed that the temperature-responsive switch be fitted into a receiver in the housing element and retained by means of a locking element which can be inserted at right angles to the fitting direction. This results in an extremely simple method of assembly and disassembly of the temperature-responsive switch.

Other features and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description of the embodiment shown in the drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a thermostat housing in accordance with the invention, Fig. 2 shows a section along the line ll-ll of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a section along the line III-III of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 shows a detail in the form of a section along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

The thermostat housing shown in the drawings has a housing element 1 which is designed like a cover and is provided with a mounting flange 2. With the aid of this mounting flange 2, the housing element 1 can be attached like a cover to a component of an internal combustion engine (not shown) by means of bolts extending through holes 23.

The housing element 1 is also provided with a connecting branch 3 on which a coolant hose can be fitted. The connecting branch 3 runs parallel to the mounting flange 2 so that a 90 diversion for coolant streaming through the component 1 is created inside the hollow housing element 1.

Between the mounting flange 2 and the connecting branch 3 there is provided a valve seat 4 which lies approximately at the level of the mounting flange 2. The valve seat 4 is associated with a thermostat valve 5 having a housing 24 containing a substance which expands when heated. projecting from the housing 24 is a plunger 6 which is extended upon expansion of the thermally expansible substance. The free end of the plunger 6 is supported on an extension 7 of the housing element. The housing 24 of the thermostat valve 5 is connected rigidly to a valve disc 25 which cooperates with the valve seat 4.

The housing 24 and the valve disc 25 are subjected to the loading of a closing spring 8 in the direction of the valve seat 4. The end of the closing spring 8 remote from the valve disc 25 is supported on a shoulder 9 formed from a disc 26 which is slidably guided with a folded ring guide on the housing 24 of the thermostat valve 5. The outer ends of the disc 26 are fixed in recesses in ribs 27 of the housing element 21 which project from the mounting flange 2. In the illustrated embodiment there are provided two diagrammatically opposite ribs 27 on which the disc 26 is retained. The disc 26 is kept narrow at right angles to the thermostat valve 5 and is also provided with openings so that an adequate flow cross-section is created for the coolant.

The housing element 1 contains a fully integrated air vent valve 10 which by-passes the thermostat valve 5 and forms a connection between the side of the mounting flange 2 and the connecting branch 3. As can be seen from Fig. 3, a surface leading as far as the valve seat 4 extends between the ribs 27 flush with the mounting flange 2. The vent valve 10 is arranged in the area between the ribs 27, each of which is preferably staggered by approximately 90 relative to the valve 10.

The vent valve 10 contains a passage 11 which leads from the plane of the mounting flange 2 to the interior of the connecting branch 3 and which is provided with a widened section 13 in the region of the mounting flange 2. This widened section 13 contains a ball 12 having a diameter greater than the cross-section of the passage 11. A locking disc 14 is inserted in the housing element 1 at least approximately flush with the mounting flange and prevents the ball 12 from falling out. The locking disc 14 is resiliently snapengaged in the widened section 13. The locking disc 14 is also provided with well arranged notches so that a relatively large free flow cross-section is open in the direction of the passage 11.As can also be seen from Fig. 3, the widened section 13 is stepped, i.e, the locking disc area contains a space with a larger diameter which is followed by a section having a smaller diameter which is then followed by the passage 11.

In this manner the escape of air or gas through the vent valve 10 can be achieved.

However, as soon as the cooling medium attempts to flow through the vent valve, the ball 12 around which the coolant flows is also moved so that it is situated in- front of the opening of the passage 11, sealing the passage.

As can be seen from Figs. 2 and 3, there is provided in the housing element 1 a tapped hole 21 into which, for example, a temperature sensor can be screwed.

The housing element 1 also contains on the side of the connecting branch-relative to the valve seat 4-a temperature-responsive switch 15 which is used for example to switch on a cooling fan from a specific coolant temperature which is also used for cooling. The temperature-responsive switch 15 has a housing in which is arranged a substance which is capable of thermal expansion and which, upon its expansion, controls an electric control element at a preset temperature. As can be seen from Figs. 1 and 3, the temperature-responsive switch 15 is arranged in a recess 16 in the housing element 1 in such a manner that its longitudinal axis is offset by approximately 30 to the longitudinal axis of the thermostat valve 5 and by 90" to the longitudinal axis of the connecting branch 3.The temperature-responsive switch 15 is fitted with its housing in a stepped internal hole in the recess 16 of the housing element 1, a sealing ring 22 being arranged axially between an annular collar 19 of the housing of the temperature-responsive switch 15 and a step or shoulder of the recess 16. The temperature-responsive switch 15 is secured axially by a locking element 17 which is made of bent spring wire and which, with its two legs is introduced into slots 18 in the recess 16 at right angles to the fitting direction of the temperature-responsive switch 15. The legs situated in the slots 18 project over the annular collar 19 of the housing of the temperatureresponsive switch 15 so that the latter is secured axially. In this case, the housing of the temperature-responsive switch 15 is pressed into the recess in such a manner that the sealing ring 22 is then elastically deformed so that then, when the housing is released, it bears axially with the annular collar 19 against the legs of the locking means 1 7 under spring pretensioning.

As can be seen from Fig. 4, the legs of the locking means 17 are bent up and outwardly at their free ends so that they can be inserted simply. In addition, they have a trough-shaped outwardly bent section whereby they grip around the housing of the temperature-responsive switch 15 with a locking action so that the locking means 17 is also secured to prevent it from falling out unintentionally.

Claims

1. A thermostat housing comprising a cover-like housing element which has a mounting flange and a connecting branch for a coolant hose, there being provided between a plane of the mounting flange and the connecting branch a valve seat for a thermostatic valve for closing a coolant path between the connecting branch and the said plane, wherein a vent valve adapted to by-pass the thermostat valve, is integrated in the housing element and contains a passage which leads from the plane of the mounting flange to the connecting branch and which, immediately following the plane of the mounting flange, has a widened section for receiving a closure member, into which section a locking means for the closure member is fitted on the side facing the plane of the mounting flange.

2. A thermostat housing according to claim 1, wherein the locking means comprises a disc provided with a plurality of notches.

3. A thermostat housing according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, on the side of the connecting branch, the housing element-in relation to the valve seat-is provided with means to accommodate a temperature-responsive switch submerged in the coolant path.

4. A thermostat housing according to claim 3, including a recess for accommodating the temperature-responsive switch and a locking element insertable at right angles to the fitting direction of the switch for securing the switch in the housing.

5. A thermostat housing according to claim 4, wherein the locking element comprises an essentially U-shaped spring wire, the legs of which engage in outwardly open slots in the recess of the housing element and are adapted to engage on an annular collar of a housing of the temperature-responsive switch.

6. A thermostat housing according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the housing element is provided with a tapped hole on the side of the connecting branch, relative to the valve seat.

7. A thermostat housing comprising a cover-like housing element which has a mounting flange and a connecting branch for a coolant hose, substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.