The invention relates a thermostat assembly including valve alignment structure which prevents any misalignment problem of valve in its axis.

Specifically, the present invention relates to an adapter having leg structures which provide centering of the valve structure and hence centering of the piston during extreme cases causing the piston end to dislocate from the piston seat.

Prior Art

Thermostat assembly within engine cooling system provides proper cooling of the engine and its parts by determining the flow ratio between bypass circuitry and heat exchange circuity according to the actual temperature value of engine coolant. The change in the flow ratio between bypass circuitry and heat exchange circuity is possible with the change in the opening ratio between bypass outlet window and radiator outlet window or bypass inlet window and radiator inlet window. The change in the opening ratio is provided by the motion of the valve structure guided by means of an actuator throughout thermostat interior space.

The forward and backward motion of the valve structure is provided by the forward and backward motion of the piston structure of the actuator. Piston end always stands within the piston seat formed at the center of the upper frame’s inner top surface. At the normal pressure variances, piston end does not dislodge from the piston seat.

When the inlet coolant temperature value is below than a first threshold value, inlet coolant coming from engine outlet continues to flow from inlet to bypass outlet throughout bypass circuitry comprising engine channels, water pump and thermostat assembly. At this temperature values below than the first threshold value, the actuator continues to be stay at fully closed position, consequently the valve structure too. At this fully closed position of the actuator, valve structure allows coolant flow from inlet to bypass outlet and prevents coolant flow from inlet to radiator outlet by closing just the radiator outlet passage window.

When the piston starts to move forward as a result of the increase in the coolant temperature (exceeding the first threshold value), other portion of the actuator (actuator body) starts to move backward due to the piston seat that restricts the forward motion of the piston end. The backward motion of the actuator body causes the backward motion of the valve structure too thanks to the force applied on sleeve seat of valve structure by sleeve portion of the actuator. During backward motion of the valve structure, spring element is compressed. So, the spring stores potential energy. At this partially open position of the actuator, valve structure allows coolant flow from inlet to both bypass outlet and radiator outlet. When the inlet coolant temperature value is equal or above than a second threshold value, opening of the actuator reaches its maximum point (full backward motion), consequently opening of the valve structure too. At this fully open position of the actuator, valve structure allows coolant flow from inlet to radiator outlet and prevents coolant flow from inlet to bypass outlet by closing just the bypass outlet passage window. At this temperature values above than the second threshold, inlet coolant coming from engine outlet continues to flow from inlet to just radiator outlet throughout heat exchange circuitry comprising engine channels, radiator channels, water pump and thermostat assembly.

When the temperature value of the coolant coming from engine outlet decreases below the second threshold, piston starts to move backward. The backward motion of the piston causes forward motion of the actuator body towards its fully closed position. The stored potential energy by spring element is used to move the valve structure forward towards its fully closed position, too. During this forward motion of the valve structure, the piston end within the piston seat provides guidance of valve structure by centering it. Thanks to this guidance of the piston end, at the fully closed position of the valve structure, valve structure prevents coolant leakages between radiator and thermostat interior space by locating perfectly onto the valve seat formed at lower inner surface of the upper frame.

However, at the abnormal and abrupt pressure variances that are occurred in the extreme cases, the piston end providing guidance of the valve structure can dislodge from the piston seat. So, it can’t anymore guide the valve structure during forward motion of the valve structure towards its fully closed position.

The document US20140069530 A1 mentions a check valve comprising support legs. However, here there is no a piston structure providing guidance of the valve structure at the normal pressure variances and a solution for providing guidance of the valve structure when the piston cannot guide.

As a result, there is any invention about a thermostat assembly including leg structures which prevent any misalignment problem of valve in its axis when the piston end dislodges from the piston seat due to the abnormal and abrupt pressure change. So, the solution of the present invention is required. Objectives and Short Description of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to present a thermostat assembly including leg structures which prevent any misalignment problem of valve in its axis by allowing re-location of the piston end within the piston seat when the piston cannot fulfill the guiding function for the valve structure due to the dislodgement of the piston end from the piston seat at the abnormal and abrupt pressure change.

The another aim of the present invention is to present a thermostat assembly which prevents coolant leakages between radiator and thermostat interior space at the fully closed thermostat position by allowing the piston end to relocate within the piston seat, consequently by allowing the valve structure to locate perfectly onto the valve seat formed at lower inner surface of the upper frame via mentioned leg structures when the piston end dislodges from the piston seat due to the abnormal and abrupt pressure change.

Present thermostat assembly which, comprising

-an upper frame including a piston seat, and a valve seat,

-an actuator including a piston with a piston end,

-a valve structure comprising an upper valve element,

-an adapter having at least three centering leg structures which located between the upper frame and lower frame at the closed position of the thermostat assembly and allows the piston end to re-locate within the piston seat by centering the valve structure allows mentioned upper valve element to lodge completely onto mentioned valve seat by preventing the valve structure to get out of its axis when the piston end dislodges from the piston seat due to the abnormal and abrupt pressure change.

The upper frame of the present thermostat assembly has an adapter seat formed around the valve seat for positioning of mentioned adapter on to the upper frame.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, said adapter has three centering leg structures.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, centering leg structures have inclined inner surfaces where the inner circle formed by the centering leg structures narrows towards the valve seat.

Description of the Figures

In figure 1 a, a perspective view of the present adapter having leg structures is shown. In figure 1 b, a perspective view showing the fully closed position of the valve structure is given.

In figure 2, a perspective view showing the fully open position of the valve structure is given.

In figure 3, a cross-sectional view of the present thermostat assembly in fully closed position is shown.

In figure 4, a perspective view of the inner components located within the present thermostat assembly in the fully closed position is given.

In figure 5, a front view of the inner components located within the present thermostat assembly in the fully closed position is given.

In figure 6, a side view of the inner components located within the present thermostat assembly in the fully open position is given.

In figure 7, a front view of the present thermostat assembly is shown.

In figure 8, an exploded perspective view of the present thermostat assembly is given.

In figure 9a, a perspective view of a conventional combination of valve and actuator which prevents dislodgement of piston end from the piston seat is given. This solution is applicable just for the valve and frame which are made of metal.

In figure 9b, a cross-sectional view of mentioned conventional solution which prevents dislodgement of piston end from the piston seat is given.

Reference Numbers

10. Thermostat assembly

10.1. Thermostat interior space

11. Upper frame

11.1. Piston seat

11.2. Valve seat

11.3. Adapter seat

12. Lower frame

13. First sealing element

14. First spring element

15. Valve structure

15.1. Upper valve element 15.2. First sealing groove

15.3. Lower valve element

15.4. Second sealing groove

16. Second sealing element

17. Guide element

18. Second spring element

20. Adapter

20.1. Centering leg

30. Actuator

30.1. Sleeve

30.2. Piston

30.3. Piston end

Detailed Description of the Invention

This invention relates to a thermostat assembly (10) which eliminates misalignment problem of valve structure (15), that could be occurred during abrupt and huge pressure variances within thermostat interior space (10.1) by centering of the valve structure (15) via an adapter (20) having centering legs (20.1) .

At the normal pressure variances, the piston end (30.3) located within the piston seat (11.1) provides centering of the valve structure (15) during forward and backward motion of the valve structure (15). When the coolant temperature decreases below the first threshold value, the valve structure (15) moves towards its full closed position and lodges onto the valve seat (11.2) for preventing coolant leakage between radiator and thermostat interior space (10.1). Here, the orientation for centering is provided by the piston end (30.3) located within the piston seat (11.1). The piston end (30.3) is always in the piston seat (11.1) however, in the extreme cases where the pressure changes abruptly and abnormally, it can dislodge from the piston seat (1 1.1). The dislodgement of the piston end (30.3) from the piston seat (11.1) prevents the valve structure (15) to lodge again completely onto the valve seat (1 1.2) on the lower inner portion of the upper frame (11). Since the valve structure (15) do not lodge again completely onto the valve seat (1 1.2), it is not possible to sustain sealing thereof. As shown in figure 9a and 9b, this dislodgement problem of the piston end has been already solved for the frame and valve structures that are made of metal material. The piston end having notched portion is fixed within the piston seat by means of the extensions extending from the piston seat towards the notched portions. Thus, it is not possible that the piston end dislodges from the piston seat under abnormal pressure variance. However, this solution applied for the metal construction is not possible to be applied onto the thermostat assembly having rubber frame due to the nature of the rubber.

The present invention provides a solution for the dislodgement problem of the piston end (30.3), which could be applied to all types of thermostat assembly (10) without restriction of material.

As shown in Figure 8, the present thermostat assembly (10) comprises an upper frame (11) which includes a valve seat (1 1.2) located on its lower surface, a piston seat (1 1.1) formed inside as coinciding to the center of the mentioned valve seat (1 1.2) and an adapter seat (11.3) formed around said valve seat (1 1.2),

an adapter (20) which comprises at least three centering legs (20.1) and locates onto mentioned adapter seat (11.3),

an actuator (30) including a sleeve (30.1), a piston (30.2),

a valve structure (15) which includes an upper valve element (15.1) with a first sealing groove (15.2) and a lower valve element (15.3) with a second sealing groove (15.4),

a first sealing element (13) which is located within mentioned first sealing groove (15.2) on the upper valve element (15.1),

a first spring element (14) which is located between mentioned upper valve element (15.1) and lower valve element (15.3),

a second sealing element (16) which is located within mentioned second sealing groove (15.4) on the lower valve element (15.3),

a lower frame (12)

a guide element (17) which is located between lower valve element (15.3) and lower frame (12).

Present thermostat assembly (10) provides re-centering of valve structure (15) by means of mentioned centering leg (20.1) structures extending from the adapter (20) toward the valve structure (15) when piston end (30.3) of the actuator (30) dislodges from the piston seat (11.1) under abrupt and abnormal pressure variances. A perspective view of the adapter (20) is given in Figure 1a. The adapter (20) is located onto the adapter seat (1 1.3) formed around the valve seat (11.2). As shown in Figure 1 b, at the fully closed position of the thermostat assembly (10), the upper valve element (15.1) positions on the valve seat (11.2). Thus, it prevents the coolant leakages between radiator and the thermostat interior space (10.1) at the fully closed thermostat position. As shown in figure 2, the upper valve element (15.1) stands away from the valve seat (1 1.2) as a result of the backward motion of the actuator (30) occurred at the temperature values below the first threshold value. Thus, the coolant within the radiator is allowed to flow throughout the heat exchange circuitry.

When the sudden and huge pressure variances causing the piston end (30.3) to dislodge from the piston seat (11.1) occur, mentioned adapter (20) allows the piston end (30.3) to re-locate within the piston seat (11.1) by preventing the valve structure (15) to get out of its axis. In this embodiment of the present thermostat assembly (10), the adapter (20) has three centering leg (20.1) structures providing centering of the valve structure (15). However, in the other embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to use an adapter (20) having four or more centering leg (20.1) structures. Besides, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, centering leg (20.1) structures have inclined inner surfaces where the inner circle formed by the centering leg (20.1) structures narrows towards the valve seat (11.2). Thus, the inclined inner surfaces ease the centering of the valve structure (15). However, in the other embodiments of the present invention, it is also possible that the centering leg (20.1) structures do not have inclined inner surfaces. A cross-sectional view of the present thermostat assembly (10) at the fully closed position is given in Figure 3. Different perspective views of the inner components within the present thermostat assembly (10) shown in Figure 4, 5 and 6. While the Figure 4 and 5 belong to the fully closed thermostat position, the Figure 6 belongs to the fully open thermostat position.

A front view of the present thermostat assembly (10) is shown in Figure 7. An exploded perspective view of the present thermostat assembly (10) is given in Figure 8.

A perspective view of the conventional solution which prevents dislodgement of the piston end from the piston seat just for the thermostat assemblies having metal frame and metal valve structure by fixing the piston end within the piston seat is given in Figure 9a. A cross-sectional view of the conventional solution is given in Figure 9b.