THERMOSTATIC VALVE HAVING A SLEEVE
The present invention relates to a thermostatic valve, in particular for a fluid
circulation circuit, in particular a coolant for a heat engine.
Valves provided with a regulating sleeve for the circulation of a fluid, the movement
5 of which is controlled by a thermostatic element typically equip cooling circuits associated
with high-displacement heat' engines, in particular those used in trucks or certain motor
vehicles, which require higher coolant flow rates for operation than those encountered for
heat engines with lower displacement, for which the thermostatic valves used often have
gates.
10 In fact, using a sleeve generally makes it possible to have a so-called balanced
shutter i.e., a shutter for which the difference in the pressures prevailing on either side of
the wall of the sleeve is substantially zero in the direction in which the sleeve is moved by
the thermostatic element, that direction in practice corresponding to the axial direction of
the sleeve. Conversely, in a thermostatic valve with a gate, the latter generally extends in
15 a plane perpendicular to the direction in which the gate is moved by the thermostatic
element, such that the difference in the pressures prevailing on either side of the gate in
that direction reaches high values, in particular when the circulation of fluid is interrupted
by the gate. The energy necessary to unstick such a gate from its seat is then often
significant, even more so when the flow rate of fluid to be regulated is significant and
20 comes in the closing direction of the gate.
Valves with sleeves integrate a compressed spring that is powerful enough both to
return the sleeve to the position it occupied before it was driven by a moving part of the
thermostatic element, and to return that moving part toward a stationary part of the
thermostatic element, fixedly connected to the valve housing. The opposite ends of this
25 compressed spring can be arranged respectively bearing against a dedicated part of the
valve housing and against a force resisting part, movably connected to the sleeve, as for
example proposed in US-A-4,022,377. FR 2,993,036 and W02013/124410 propose that
the decompression thrust produced by the spring be supported by a rigid bracket, typically
made from metal, that, during use, is fixedly connected to the housing: in fine, the housing
30 therefore resists the opposite forces necessary to fix the position of the bracket and
necessary to fix the position of the thermostatic element, respectively. Inasmuch as, in
particular for economic and practical reasons, it is greatly desired to make the valve
housing from a plastic material, WO 2013/124410 provides for having the bracket, for
fastening thereof to the housing, and the fixed part of the thermostatic element, also for
35 fastening to the housing, with a same bearing portion of the housing, which is transverse
to the axis of the sleeve, and which, in WO 2013/124410, consists of the central region of
2
a transverse bridge of the valve housing: in this way, the mechanical stresses generated
during use by the thermostatic element and by the compressed spring are essentially
applied to the bearing portion of the housing, which, even made from plastic, absorbs
them without damage due to the compressive nature of these stresses. In practice, WO
5 2013/124410 provides that, at one of its ends, the bracket cooperates in a form-filling
manner with the bearing portion of the housing so as to be attached to this bearing portion
along the axis of the sleeve under the effect of the decompression thrust produced by the
spring: as long as the spring is assembled to the other components of the valve in a fairly
compressed state, this arrangement is both sufficient to ensure, during use, the fixed
10 connection between the bracket and the housing, and convenient to facilitate the
assembly of the valve, with the understanding that it is then not necessary to permanently
fixedly secure the bracket to the bearing portion of the housing. However, this
arrangement may lead to a malfunction of the valve when, in case of impact or incorrect
manipulations, in particular during the installation or maintenance of the valve, a fairly
15 substantial stress is applied on the bracket and leads to compressing the spring: the risk
is that the bracket will partially or completely detach from the bearing portion of the
housing.
The aim of the present invention is to improve the valves with sleeves and
brackets of the type mentioned above, by securing the attachment of their bracket, while
20 reconciling good mechanical strength during use and great ease of assembly.
To that end, the invention relates to a thermostatic valve, as defined in claim 1.
One of the ideas at the base of the invention is not to try to strengthen or stiffen the
attachment link between the bracket and the bearing portion of the housing, but to
incorporate locking means into the bracket in position on this bearing portion, which are
25 separate from the means providing the attachment link: when a stress is applied on the
bracket that over-compresses the spring and therefore risks detaching the bracket,
typically in case of impact or axial bearing on the end of the bracket opposite the bearing
portion of the housing, these locking means keep the bracket in place and therefore
prevent it from detaching, axially abutting against the bearing portion of the housing. The
30 mechanical strength of the valve is not altered, since the mechanical stresses generated
by these locking means when they abut against the bearing portion consist of a
compression stress of this bearing portion and can therefore be absorbed without
damaging the plastic material making up this bearing portion if the housing is made from
plastic. Furthermore, the assembly of the valve according to the invention is
35 advantageously not complicated by the presence of these locking means: on the contrary,
through clever arrangements described later, these locking means interfere with the rest
II
5
3
of the valve to reach the usage configuration while the bracket is attached to the bearing
portion of the housing. In all cases, the invention makes it possible not to lose the practical
benefit of assembling the bracket to the housing by simple attachment, regarding both the
sizing of the affected parts of the valve and the assembly operations of this valve.
Additional features of the thermostatic valve according to the invention are
specified in the dependent claims.
The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description,
provided solely as an example and done in reference to the drawings, in which:
- figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of a thermostatic valve according to the
10 invention, shown in a usage configuration;
15
- figure 2 is a perspective view of the valve of figure 1, certain components of
which are not shown so as to better see the remaining components; and
- figures 3 to 5 are views similar to figure 1, partially truncated, these figures
respectively showing three successive assembly configurations of the valve.
Figures 1 to 5 show a valve 1 suitable for controlling the circulation of a fluid. The
valve 1 is for example used in a cooling circuit of a heat engine of a vehicle.
The valve 1 includes a housing 10 in which the aforementioned fluid circulates.
This housing 10 is in particular made from a plastic, for example by molding. In the
embodiment considered here, the housing 10 comprises, as clearly shown in figures 1
20 and 2, a main body 11 that includes a closing wall 12 separating an inner side and an
outer side of the main body 11, the fluid regulated by the valve flowing, except in
abnormal leakage cases, exclusively on the inner side of this closing wall 12. As clearly
shown in figure 1, the closing wall 12 extends transversely to a geometric axis X-X, which
belong to the cutting plane of figure 1 and relative to which the rest of the description is
25 oriented for convenience, considering that this axis X-X extends along the vertical, the
inner side of the main body 11 being the side of the closing wall 12, turned upward in
figures 1 to 5.
In its central region, through which the axis X-X passes, the closing wall 12
includes a bearing portion 13 within the mechanical meaning of the term: in other words,
30 the bearing portion 13 constitutes part of the closing wall 12, serving as a support for other
pieces of the valve. This bearing portion 13 extends, at least in part, transversely to the
axis X-X so as to serve as an axial support for other pieces of the valve 1, as gradually
explained hereinafter. In the example embodiment considered here, the bearing portion
13 has a tubular global shape, substantially centered on the axis X-X: more specifically,
35 the bearing portion 13 comprises a tubular wall 14, centered on the axis X-X and
extending axially on either side of the rest of the closing wall 12, as well as, on the one
4
hand, in the lower part of this tubular wall 14, a bottom wall 15, which closes the inner
volume of the tubular wall 14, while extending globally in a geometric plane perpendicular
to the axis X-X, and, on the other hand, in the upper part of the tubular wall, an annular
rim 16, which, as clearly shown in figures 1 and 2, outwardly surrounds the tubular wall 14
5 while extending globally in a geometric plane perpendicular to the axis X-X.
During use, the aforementioned fluid flows on the inner side of the closing wall 12,
while being regulated by a closing sleeve 20, which, by definition, has a tubular global
shape, centered on the axis X-X, and the cylindrical main body of which has a solid wall
over its entire periphery. For visibility reasons, the sleeve 20 is not shown in figure 2. The
10 sleeve 20 is translatable along the axis X-X relative to the closing wall 12: when this
sleeve is sealably pressed, by its lower axial end 21, against a seat 17, such as a sealing
gasket, secured to the main body 11, as in the configuration shown in figure 1, the
circulation of the fluid, radially to the axis X-X, is interrupted between the inside and the
outside of the sleeve 20 at its end 21, whereas, when the sleeve 20 is separated from the
15 seat 17, the fluid can circulate freely between the inside and the outside of the sleeve
radially to the axis X-X at its end 21. In practice, the circulation direction of the fluid at the
end 21 of the sleeve 20 is not limiting with respect to the invention. Likewise, the
specificities of the regulation of the fluid at the upper axial end 22 of the sleeve 20 are not
limiting, having noted that, in the example embodiment considered in the figures, the fluid
20 circulates freely between the inside and the outside of the sleeve parallel to the axis X-X
at this end 22. Moreover, in a manner not shown in the figures, the housing 10 of the
valve 1 can include additional walls or parts, integral with its main body 11 or separate
from the latter, but fixedly attached to this main body, to channel, outside the sleeve 20,
the flows of fluid at one and/or the other of its ends 21 and 22.
25 To command the movement of the sleeve 20, the valve 1 comprises a thermostatic
element 30. In a known manner, the thermostatic element 30 comprises an upper cup 31,
which is substantially centered on the axis X-X and which contains a heat-expandable
material, not shown in the figures, such as wax. The thermostatic element 30 also
comprises a lower piston 32, which is centered on the axis X-X and which is movable
30 relative to the cup 31 in a translational movement substantially along the axis X-X. In
figure 2, for visibility reasons, the piston 32 is shown, but the cup 31 is not shown. The
piston 32 is thus movable resulting from the expansion of the heat-expandable material
contained in :the cup 31, the piston being deployed outside the cup when that material is
heated. When the heat-expandable material cools, the piston 32 retracts inside the cup 31
35 resulting from the decompression thrust from a compressed spring 40. For visibility
reasons, this spring 40 is not shown in figure 2.
5
Advantageously, in one preferred embodiment, a heating electrical resistance, not
shown in the figures, is arranged inside the piston 32, then made in the form of a heat
conducting tube, such that when that resistance is supplied with electricity, it can heat the
heat-expandable material contained in the cup 31. This electrical heating of the heat-
5 expandable material completes the heating coming from the cup 31, which is also made
from a heat-conducting material, this cup in fact being heated by the fluid in which it is
bathed. In practice, depending on the case, these two heat sources participate in similar
proportions or, on the contrary, one is negligible relative to the other, without this being
limiting on the present invention. Furthermore, as one alternative that is not shown, the
10 aforementioned electrical resistance may be missing, the cup 31 then only being thermally
stressed by the fluid in which it is bathed.
Returning to the description of the embodiment considered in the figures, it will be
noted that the lower end of the piston 32, i.e., its end emerging from the cup 31, is
secured to a base 33 that cooperates with the housing 10 for the purpose of fastening the
15 piston 32 to that housing. In practice, and as indicated diagrammatically in figure 1,
various forms of securing between the piston 32 and the base 33 can be considered: for
example, the base can be forcibly fitted inside the lower terminal part of the piston 32 or
can be overmolded and/or glued to said terminal part.
The base 33 is received in a complementary manner in the free inner volume of
20 the tubular wall 14 of the bearing portion 13, bearing axially downward against the bottom
wall 15. Thus, the mechanical connection between the main body 11 of the housing 10
and the piston 32 of the thermostatic element 30, more specifically between the bearing
portion 13 of the closing wall 12 and the base 33 secured to this piston, is produced at
least by the fixed axial downward bearing of the base 33 against the bottom wall 16 of the
25 bearing portion 13, this base 33 also advantageously being immobilized transversely to
the axis X-X inside the tubular wall14 of the bearing portion 13, by shape adjustment. The
fixed bearing of the piston 32 against the bearing portion 13 may not be upwardly blocked
by the cooperation between this bearing portion and the piston or its base 33.
Alternatively, for example by providing a slightly forced mounting, it is possible to retain
30 the piston 32 axially upward relative to the bearing portion 13.
In the context of the preferred embodiment mentioned above, the base 33 also
provides the electrical connection between the electrical resistance, contained inside the
piston 32, and electrical conductors, not shown in the figures, :which are supported by the
housing 10 and which extend from the inner volume of the tubular wall 14 of the bearing
35 portion 13, where they are electrically connected to the base 33, to the outside of at least
the closing wall 12, or more generally, to the outside of the housing 10, where these
6
conductors can then be connected, for example at a jack 18 of the housing visible in figure
1, to an outside wiring harness, not shown, connected to a current source. It will be
understood that these electrical conductors make it possible to power the electrical
resistance contained inside the piston 32 from the aforementioned electricity source,
5 subject to the electrical connection between the terminals of that resistance and the
aforementioned electrical conductors, via inner arrangement elements of the base 33, not
shown in figures. As an example, the aforementioned electrical conductors are attached
or integrated by overmolding to the plastic making up the closing wall 12, including its
bearing portion 13.
10 Returning to the description of the embodiment considered in figures, it will be
understood that, in use, the relative movements between the cup 31 and the piston 32 of
the thermostatic element 30 consist of movements of that cup relative to the housing 10
fixedly connected to the piston 32. Consequently, to control the movement of the sleeve
20 along the axis X-X, that sleeve is cinematically connected to the cup 31. A first possible
15 approach, not illustrated by the embodiment considered in the figures, consists of
providing a fixed mechanical link between the sleeve 20 and the cup 31.
One alternative, considered here, provides for inserting an overtravel spring 50
between them that has a stiffness strictly greater than that of the compression spring 40
and that is only stressed when, once the sleeve 20 has been axially separated from the
20 seat 17 under the driving action of the cup 31, any additional upward driving of the sleeve
is made impossible, typically due to the upward axial abutment of this sleeve against a
stationary obstacle or because the maximum compression of the spring 40 has been
reached. Thus, in more detail in the example embodiment considered in the figures, the
sleeve 20 is provided with arms 23 that extend rigidly, from its upper end 22, toward the
25 axis X-X. At their free end, these arms 23 are fixedly connected to one another by an
annular crown 24, belonging to the sleeve and substantially centered on the axis X-X. The
upper end turn of the overtravel spring 50 is axially pressed upward against the lower face
of that crown 24, while the lower end turn of the overtravel spring 50 is pressed axially
downward against an outer peripheral rim of a jacket 51, which outwardly surrounds the
30 cup 31, while being fixedly connected to that cup, for example by forcible fitting, and
around which the crown 24 is mounted freely sliding along the axis X-X, with a limitation of
that sliding in the upward direction by the axial upward abutment of the crown 24 against
an outer peripheral rim of the sleeve 51. For visibility reasons, the overtravel spring 50
and the sleeve 51 are not shown in figure 2. Of course, it is understood that the preceding
35 detailed description, related to the overtravel system including the spring 50 and the jacket
51, is only an illustrative example, non-limiting with respect to the present invention,
7
inasmuch as other overtravel assemblies that are functionally similar but structurally
different can be considered.
In light of the preceding, it will be understood that, when the cup 31 of the
thermostatic element 30 is translated upward along the axis X-X relative to the piston 32
5 under the effect of the expansion of the heat-expandable material, this upward
translational movement is transmitted to the crown 24 and, subsequently, to the entire
sleeve 20 by the overtravel spring 50, which, when the sleeve is not prevented from
following this translational movement, remains in a substantially unchanged state of
compression. In order to drive the sleeve 20 in a reverse translational movement when the
10 heat-expandable material contracts, the lower end turn 41 of the compressed spring 40
bears axially downward against the upper face of the crown 24 of the sleeve 20 such that,
under the action of a decompression thrust of the spring 40, the latter is able to return the
sleeve 20 toward the seat 17 and the cup 31 toward the piston 32 simultaneously. The
compression of the spring 40 during the separation of the sleeve 20 relative to the seat
15 17, then the release of the decompression thrust to return that sleeve, are based on the
fact that the upper end turn 42 of the spring 40 is axialfy upwardly retained relative to the
housing 10, by means of a force resisting bracket 60.
The bracket 60 is made from metal or, more generally, from a material capable of
withstanding the working stresses produced by the spring 40 without undergoing
20 significant deformation. This bracket 60 comprises distinct arms 61, which are distributed
substantially regularly around the axis X-X and of which there are two in the example
embodiment considered here, while being individually identical to one another.
Each arm 61 includes an elongated running part 62, which connects an upper end
63 and a lower end 64 of the arm 61 to one another and which, when the bracket 60 is in
25 use, i.e., it is assembled to the other components of the valve 1 in a usage configuration
of the valve, as in figure 1, extends lengthwise substantially parallel to the axis X-X.
The spring 40 is fixedly connected to the respective upper ends 63 of the arms 61:
in the example embodiment considered here, the ends 63 of the arms 61 are secured to
one another by a crown 65 of the bracket, which is centered on the axis X-X and which is
30 arranged coaxially around the cup 31 of the thermostatic element 30, with free relative
sliding along this axis.
At the lower end 64 of each arm 61, the bracket 60 cooperates mechanically with
the bearing portion 13 of the closing wall 12 for fastening of the bracket to the main body
11 of the housing 10. To that end, the lower end 64 of each arm 61 is provided with at
35 least one hook 66, the recess of which is oriented upward and designed to receive a
peripheral portion of the annular rim 16 of the bearing portion 13. In the example
8
embodiment considered here, as clearly shown in figure 2, two such hooks 66 are
provided at the lower end 64 of each arm 61, these two hooks 66 being situated at the
same horizontal level, but following one another around the axis X-X. In the assembled
state of the valve 1, as shown in figure 1, the lower face 16A of the annular rim 16 of the
5 bearing portion 13 bears axially downward against the bottom of the recess of the hooks
66: the bracket 60 is thus, by its hooks 66, fixed to the bearing portion 13 of the closing
wall 12 of the housing 10, in that the axial forces oriented upward, applied by the
compressed spring 40 on the crown 65 connecting the upper end 63 of the arms 61 of the
bracket 60, are absorbed and transmitted by these arms 61 to the hooks 66, which in turn
10 absorb them and transmit them to the lower face 16A of the rim 16 of this bearing portion
13.
Advantageously, as in the example embodiment considered in the figures, the free
end of each hook 66 is curved upward to engage axially in a complementary recess 168
of the rim 16, which, in addition to being downwardly open to allow this curved free end of
15 the hook to be engaged, is also upwardly open, as shown in figure 2, in particular for
visual inspection and/or accessibility reasons, typically for maintenance or disassembly
operations of the valve, and for molding reasons. Irrespective of whether these recesses
168 are upwardly open, they allow each of the corresponding peripheral portions of the
rim 16 to be wedged, in a radial direction with respect to the axis X-X, in the recess of the
20 corresponding hooks 66, as shown in figure 2 and indicated in dotted lines in figure 1.
Furthermore, as clearly shown in figures 1 and 2, the running part 62 of each arm
61 of the bracket 60 is provided with a tongue 67 that extends, from the rest of the running.
part 62, both downward and toward the axis X-X. Each tongue 67 thus has two opposite
ends 67A and 678 along the longitudinal direction of the tongue, i.e., an upper end 67A,
25 which connects the rest of the tongue 67 to the rest of the running part 62 and is situated
in the longitudinal profile of the rest of the running part 62, and a lower end 678, which is
free and is situated radially closer to the axis X-X than the upper end 67 A The ends 67 A
and 678 of each tongue 67 are connected to one another by the running part 67C of the
tongue, which, in the example considered here, extends substantially rectilinearly. In the
30 usage configuration of the valve 1, as in figure 1, the lower end 678 of each tongue 67 is
arranged axially overhanging the upper face 16C of the annular rim 16, with functional
play inserted between them: in this way, when a downward stress is applied on the
bracket as indicated by the arrows F in figure 1, or in other words when the bracket, for
example in case of impact or incorrect manipulations, typically during the installation and
35 maintenance of the valve 1, experiences a stress tending to over-compress the spring 40,
one and/or the other of the respective lower ends 678 of the tongues 67 axially
9
downwardly abut against the upper face 16C of the rim 16, thus locking the bracket 60 in
position in the direction of the axis X-X relative to the rest of the valve 1. Thus, the bracket
60 is, by its tongues 67, axially kept in position by downward abutment against the bearing
portion 13 of the closing wall 12, in that the downwardly oriented axial forces, applied on
5 the bracket due to the stress F compressing the spring 40, are absorbed and transmitted
by the arms 61 to the tongues 67, which in turn absorb them and transmit them to the
bearing portion 13, more specifically to the upper face 16C of the rim 16 of this bearing
portion 13.
Advantageously, as in the example embodiment considered in the figures, the two
10 hooks 66 and the tongue 67 of each arm 61 of the bracket 60 follow one another along a
peripheral direction around the axis X-X, the two hooks being situated on either side of the
tongue, as clearly shown in figure 2.
During use, when the compressed spring 40 works, the stresses that it applies to
the bracket 60 are absorbed by the latter and transmitted to the bearing portion 13 of the
15 closing wall 12 of the main body 11 of the housing 10, as explained above. Additionally,
still during use, when a stress over-stressing the spring 40 is applied on the bracket 60,
like the aforementioned stress F, the tongues 67 axially abut against this bearing portion
13 so as to keep the hooks 66 attached to the bearing portion 13, by locking the bracket
60 in position relative to the housing 10. Thus, during the use of the valve 1, the bearing
20 portion 13, in particular its annular rim 16, experiences compression by upward axial
bearing of the hooks 66 and by downward axial bearing by the tongues 67, most or
practically all of the forces respectively related to the fixing of the bracket 60 to the main
body 11 of the housing 10 and the blocking of this bracket in position relative to this main
body 11 thus being concentrated on the axially opposite faces 16A and 16C of the rim 16
25 of the bearing portion 13. This essentially means that the rim 16 is axially sandwiched
between the hooks 66 and the tongues 67 of the bracket 60. In practice, this rim 16 and,
more generally, the bearing portion 13 of the closing wall 12 of the main body -11, bear
such stresses without damage even when their values are high, since by nature, the
plastic material making up the bearing portion 13 has a high level of compressive
30 strength.
According to one advantageous aspect, which is implemented in the embodiment
considered here, the bearing portion 13 of the closing wall 12 absorbs, in addition to the
respective fixing stresses of the bracket 60 to the main body 11 of the housing 10 and
locking in position of this bracket, the fixing stresses of the piston 32 to the main body 11,
35 via the base 33, as explained above. Thus, during use, the thrust produced by the
decompression of the spring 40, as well as the stress F applied on the bracket, are
ll
10
absorbed, via the bracket, as close as possible to the fixed support of the piston 32: this
thereby concentrates all of the corresponding forces on the bearing portion 13 of the
closing wall 12, which, as explained above, withstands them without damage, the rest of
the closing wall 12 and, more generally, of the housing 10 consequently being able to be
5 sized "as small as possible", since it is only subject to limited forces when the valve 1 is in
use.
Building on the preceding considerations, it will be noted that, in practice, the
spring 40 is assembled to the other components of the valve 1 in a compressed state,
possibly greatly, i.e., with an axial length strictly smaller than that which this spring
10 occupies when idle: in this way, the spring 40 continuously produces a decompression
thrust along the axis X-X, which tends simultaneously to keep the. hooks 66 of the bracket
60 upwardly bearing against the bearing portion 13, to keep the base 33 of the piston 32
downwardly bearing against this same bearing portion 13, and to keep the sleeve 20
bearing under a load against the seat 17 as long as the thermostatic element 30 is not
15 heated up, which strengthens the sealing of the bearing of the sleeve against this seat.
According to one practical embodiment, the bracket 60 is made in the form of a
single-piece metal part, obtained by stamping. In particular, the arms 61, the crown 65,
the hooks 66 and the tongue 67 are integral with one another. Preferably, the tongues 67
are stamped relative to the rest of the running parts 62 of the arms 61, i.e., they are cut
20 and bent relative to the rest of the running parts 62, advantageously in the same stamping
tool of the bracket 60 assembly.
Figures 3 to 5 illustrate an advantageous optional arrangement of the bracket 60,
facilitating the assembly of the valve 1, i.e., at their upper part 63, the arms 61 are
connected to the crown 65 so as to be deformable between the usage configuration,
25 shown in figure 1, and assembly configurations, shown in figures 3, 4 and 5. To go
between these configurations, each arm 61 is moved relative to the crown 65 by tilting
around a geometric axis Z61 extending at the corresponding upper end 63, in a direction
substantially orthoradial to the axis X-X, as indicated in figures 3 and 4.
Thus, in the assembly configuration shown in figure 3, each arm 61 is inclined
30 relative to the axis X-X, moving downward away from this axis, such that both the radial
distance between the hooks 66 of the arm and the axis X-X and the radial distance
between the tongue 67 of the arm and the axis X-X are each strictly larger than the radius
of the bearing portion 13 of the closing wall 12: in this assembly configuration of figure 31
the hooks 66 and the tongues 67 of the arms 61 are each far enough away from the axis
35 X-X to allow the downward axial reception, without interference, between the arms 61, of
the spring 40 and the rim 16 of the bearing portion 13, as well as, if applicable, the
11
overtravel spring 50 and the sleeve 51, as well as, potentially, the cup 31 and the piston
32 of the thermostatic element 30, as illustrated by arrows A 1 in figure 3. Once the upper
end turn 42 of the spring 40 is pressed on the crown 65 of the bracket 60, the downward
movement A 1 is continued, so as to compress the spring 40 and arrange the hooks 66
5 below the axial level of the lower face 16A of the rim 16 of the bearing portion 13, as
shown in figure 3.
While keeping the spring 40 in this compressed state, the arms 61 are then tilted
inward, i.e., toward the axis X-X, around their tilting axis Z61, as indicated by arrows A2 in
figure 4: the hooks 66 of the arms 61 are thus each brought closer to the axis X-X, until
10 these hooks 66 are arranged axially overhanging the rim 16 of the bearing portion 13,
more specifically such that the respective curved free ends of these hooks are arranged
axially overhanging the recesses 168 of this rim 16. As shown in figure 4, the arms 61
then extend substantially parallel to the axis X-X. In so doing, during the tilting of the arms
61 resulting from the movement A2, the tongues 67 enter into mechanical interference
15 with the rim 16 of the bearing portion 13 in a direction transverse to the axis X-X: as
indicated by comparing figures 3 and 4, each tongue 67 is stressed, by radial bearing
oriented opposite the axis X-X, to deform relative to the rest of the running part 62 of the
corresponding arm 61, from its initial relative position of figure 3, in which the tongue is
deployed toward the axis X-X relative to the rest of the running part 62, to a deformed
20 position, in which the tongue retracts by at least partially withdrawing into the thickness of
the rest of the running part 62.
Subject next to the raising of the bracket 60 upward relative to the rest of the valve
1, as indicated by arrows A3 in figure 5, the spring 40 partially decompresses and the
hooks 66 attach to the rim 16 of the bearing portion 13, as shown in figure 5, until, in fine,
25 they press the bottom of their recess upward against the lower face 16A of the rim 16,
thus reaching the usage configuration of figure 1. In so doing, during the raising of the
arms 61 resulting from -the movement A3, the interference, by radial bearing, between the
tongues 67 and the rim 16 is maintained, as shown in figure 5, until the respective free
ends of the tongues 67 pass above the axial level of the upper face 16C of the rim 16
30 when the usage configuration of figure 1 is reached: each tongue 67 can then go from its
aforementioned deformed position to its aforementioned initial position, in which the free
end of the tongue is arranged axially overhanging the rim 16 to abut axially against this
rim in case of application of the compression force F of the spring 40. Partk:ularly
advantageously, the passage of the tongues 67 from their deformed position to their initial
35 position is obtained by resilience of the tongues, in that their aforementioned initial
position corresponds to an idle position, from which the tongues elastically depart toward
tl
ll
12
the deformed position during their interference by radial bearing against the rim 16 in the
assembly configurations of figures 4 and 5, and which they tend to automatically regain,
by elastic return, when this interference stress ceases, in the case at hand when the valve
1 reaches the usage configuration of figure 1 at the end of its assembly.
5 As an alternative to what has just been described, the use of a tool for deforming
10
the tongues 67, once the hooks 66 are attached to the bearing portion 13, is not
precluded, to accompany the elastic resilience effect of the tongues, or even to plastically
deform the tongues if the developments related to this elastic resilience are not integrated
into the bracket 60.
Likewise, the bracket 60 is manufactured in an initial configuration in which these
arms 61 can be either in their assembly configuration of figure 3, or in their usage
configuration of figure 1, or in an intermediate position between the two aforementioned
configurations, with the understanding that, during the assembly of the valve 1, an ad hoc
tooling makes it possible, depending on the case, to separate the hooks 66 from the arms
15 61 or bring them closer thereto, by tilting thereof around respective axes Z61.
Moreover, various arrangements and alternatives to the valve 1 described thus far
may be considered. As examples:
- embodiments other than the hooks 66 are possible as fixing means, for the
bracket 60, by upward axial attachment, to the bearing portion 13 of the closing wall 12 of
20 the main body 11 of the housing 1 0; likewise, embodiments other than the tongues 67 are
possible as means, for the bracket 60, for locking in position on the bearing portion 13, by
downward axial bearing so as to keep the fastening means attached;
- instead of the bearing portion 13, to which the bracket 60 is fixed and locked in
position, belonging to a closing wall like the closing wall 12 of the main body 11 of the
25 housing 10, this bearing portion may consist of the central region of a bridge that extends
through a tubular wall of the housing and that is fixedly connected to this tubular wall,
typically by being integral with this tubular wall when the housing is made from plastic; in
this case, it will be understood that, at the axial level of this bearing portion, fluid
circulation is possible downward and/or upward, by conveying on either side of the
30 aforementioned bridge; one example of such a transverse bridge is given in WO
2013/0124410, to which the reader may refer for further details; and/or
- as an alternative to the preferred embodiment described above, in which a
heating resistance is placed in the piston 32 of the thermostatic element; 3, such a
resistance may be placed inside a tube, which is separate from the piston of the
35 thermostatic element and which, in general, extends through the bottom of the cup of the
thermostatic element, opposite the piston of this element, in order to heat the
13
thermodilatable material, the cup then being stationary relative to the housing 10 while the
piston bears the sleeve to control the corresponding opening and closing of the valve.

CLAIMS
1.- A thermostatic valve (1 ), including:
-a housing (10) in which a fluid circulates,
5 - a sleeve (20) for regulating the circulation of the fluid in the housing, this sleeve being
substantially centered on an axis (X-X) along which the sleeve is movable relative to the
housing to cut/allow a flow of fluid,
- a thermostatic element (30), containing a heat-expandable material and comprising a
stationary part (32), which is fixedly connected to the housing, and a moving part (31),
10 which is movable along the axis (X-X) relative to the stationary part resulting from an
expansion of the heat-expandable material and which bears the sleeve (20) to cut/allow
the flow of fluid,
-a compression spring (40) for returning the stationary part (32) and the moving part (31)
of the thermostatic element (30) toward one another, and
15 - a bracket (60) for supporting the compression spring (40), which, during use, supports a
decompression thrust produced by the compression spring and which is provided with
fastening means (66) for fastening to a bearing portion (13) of the housing (10) that is
transverse to the axis (X-X), said fastening means (66) cooperating in a form-fitting
manner with the bearing portion so as to be attached with the bearing portion along the
20 axis (X-X) resulting from a decompression thrust produced by the spring,
25
characterized in that the bracket (60) is also provided with locking means (67) that axially
abut against the bearing portion (13) of the housing (10) so as to keep the fastening
means (66) attached to the bearing portion when a stress (F) compressing the
compression spring (40) is applied on the bracket.
2.- The thermostatic valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the bearing
portion (13) of the housing (10) is at least partially arranged so as to be axially interposed
between the fastening means (66) and the locking means (67).
30 3.- The thermostatic valve according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that
the bearing portion (13) of the housing (10) includes an annular rim (16), which is
centered on the axis (X-X) and against the axially opposite faces (16A, 16C) of which the
fastening means (66) bear resulting from a decompression thrust produced by the
compression spring (40) and the locking means (67) bear when a stress (F) compressing
35 the compression spring is applied on the bracket (60), respectively.
15
4.- The thermostatic valve according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the bracket (60) includes arms (61), which are distributed around the
axis (X-X) and each have two ends (63, 64), opposite one another in the longitudinal
direction of the arm and connected to one another by a running part (62) of the arm,
5 in that the fastening means (66) are provided at a first (64) of the two ends of the arms
(61),
in that the locking means (67) are provided in the running part (62) of the arms (61),
and in that the second end (63) of the arms (61) is designed so as, during use, to
cooperate with an end (42) of the compression spring (40) in order to resist a
10 decompression thrust produced by the compression spring.
15
5.- The thermostatic valve according to claim 4, characterized in that the second
end (63) of the arms (61) is designed to cooperate, in a form-fitting manner, with said end
(42) of the spring (40).
6.- The valve according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the first end
(64) of each arm (61) is free with respect to the rest of the bracket (60), while the
respective second ends (63) of the arms (61) are secured together by a crown (65) of the
bracket,
20 and in that, at the second end (63), each arm (61) is connected to the crown (65) so as to
be deformable between:
- a usage configuration, in which the fastening means (66) are arranged axially
overhanging the bearing portion (13) of the housing (1 0) so as to be attached to the
bearing portion resulting from a decompression thrust produced by the compression
25 spring (40), and in which the locking means (67) are arranged axially overhanging the
bearing portion of the housing so as to axially abut against the bearing portion when a
stress (F) compressing the compression spring is applied on the bracket (60), and
- a first assembly configuration, in which the fastening means (66) and the locking means
(67) are separated, by moving away from the axis (X-X), from the respective places that
30 they occupy when the arm (61) is in the usage configuration, so as not to interfere with the
bearing portion (13) of the housing (10),
by going through a second assembly configuration, which is midway between the usage
configuration and the first assembly configuration, and in which the fastening means (66)
are arranged axially overhanging the bearing portion (13) of the housing (10) so as to be
35 attached to the bearing portion resulting from a decompression thrust produced by the
compression spring (40), while the locking means (67) interfere with the bearing portion of
16
the housing in a direction transverse to the axis (X-X) to offset them, by moving away from
the axis (X-X), from the place that they occupy when the arm (61) is in the usage position.
7.- The thermostatic valve according to claim 6, characterized in that the locking
5 means include at least one tongue (67), which is supported by the running part (62) of the
arms (61) so as to be elastically deformable, relative to the rest of the running part of the
arms, between a rest position, in which the tongue is deployed toward the axis (X-X)
relative to the rest of the running part of the arms and which is occupied by the tongue
when the arms of the bracket are in the usage configuration, and a deformed position, in
10 which the tongue is at least partially retracted with respect to the rest of the running part of
the arms and which is occupied by the tongue when the bracket is in the second assembly
configuration.
8.- The thermostatic valve according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that
15 the fastening means include at least one hook (66), which is supported by the first end
(64) of the arms (61) and which has a recess suitable for receiving an annular rim (16),
substantially centered on the axis (X-X), of the bearing portion (13) of the housing (10).
9.- The thermostatic valve according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in
20 that each arm (61) is movable between the usage position and the first and second
assembly configurations by tilting around an axis (Z61) substantially orthoradial to the axis
(X-X).
10.- The thermostatic valve according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in
25 that, in the usage configuration, the arms (61) extend substantially parallel to the axis (XX).
11.- The thermostatic valve according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the bearing portion (13) of the housing (10) also cooperates with the
30 stationary part (32) of the thermostatic element (30) to connect the stationary part fixedly
to the housing.
12.- The thermostatic valve according to claim 11"1, characterized in that the bearing
portion ( 13) of the housing ( 1 0) cooperates in a form-fitting manner with the stationary part
35 (32) of the thermostatic element (30).
ll
17
13.- The thermostatic valve according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the housing (1 0) is made from plastic.