IP Library Granted Patent US 12687170
Granted Patent B2
US 12687170 · App. 18/843,924 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Valve pump unit

Inventors: Marius Müller (Darmstadt, DE); Sebastian Brettner (Burglengenfeld, DE); Manuel Dillinger (Kelheim, DE); Markus Feulner (Ensdorf, DE); Gerhard Eser (Hemau, DE); Karl Martin Fritsch (Frankfurt, DE); Christof Heeger (Hessen, DE); Konstantin Bart (Bad Nauheim, DE)
Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
F04D13/0686F04D1/06F04D15/0005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12687170
App. No.
18/843,924
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A valve/pump unit having a single electric motor for driving at least one pump stage and for adjusting a multiway valve, a reduction gearbox, which is driven by the electric motor, at least one first pump stage which is driven by the electric motor for conveying a heat transport medium in a first heat transport medium circuit, an adjustable multiway valve that is adjusted via the reduction gearbox, and having heat transport medium channels for providing at least two switching positions between the first heat transport medium circuit and a second heat transport medium circuit. In pumping operation in a first direction of rotation of the electric motor, the reduction gearbox is uncoupled from the electric motor via a freewheel. The reduction gearbox is operated in a second direction of rotation of the electric motor, opposite to the pumping operation, to adjust the multiway valve.

Claims (42)

1 . A valve/pump unit, comprising:

an electric motor;

a reduction gearbox, which is driven by the electric motor;

at least one first pump stage which is driven by the electric motor for conveying a heat transport medium in a first heat transport medium circuit;

an adjustable multiway valve that is adjusted via the reduction gearbox, the adjustable multiway valve further comprising:

a plurality of heat transport medium channels for providing at least two switching positions between the first heat transport medium circuit and a second heat transport medium circuit of a heat transport medium system; and

a common housing section for accommodating the electric motor, the multiway valve, the reduction gearbox and the at least one first pump stage;

a single freewheel;

wherein, during a pumping operation, in a first direction of rotation of the electric motor, the reduction gearbox is uncoupled from the electric motor via the single freewheel, and the reduction gearbox is operated in a second direction of rotation of the electric motor, opposite to the pumping operation, to adjust the multiway valve.

2 . The valve/pump unit of claim 1 , wherein the multiway valve is joined to the electric motor in such a way that the multiway valve encloses the electric motor.

3 . The valve/pump unit of claim 1 , the multiway valve further comprising:

at least one section that is fixed in relation to the common housing section; and

at least one section that is pivotable with respect to the common housing section in the first direction of rotation or second direction of rotation.

4 . The valve/pump unit of claim 1 , the plurality of heat transport medium channels further comprising individual channel sections arranged between the common housing section and the electric motor.

5 . The valve/pump unit of claim 1 , further comprising a second pump stage for conveying the heat transport medium in the second heat transport medium circuit.

6 . The valve/pump unit of claim 5 , wherein the second pump stage is also accommodated by the common housing section.

7 . The valve/pump unit of claim 5 , further comprising:

a clutch arranged between the electric motor and the second pump stage;

wherein the clutch releasably connects the electric motor and the second pump stage to each other.

8 . The valve/pump unit of claim 7 , wherein the clutch is an opening centrifugal force clutch.

9 . The valve/pump unit of claim 7 , wherein the clutch is a closing centrifugal force clutch.

10 . The valve/pump unit of claim 5 , wherein the second pump stage is a radial pump stage.

11 . The valve/pump unit of claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is a dry-running motor.

12 . The valve/pump unit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first pump stage is a radial pump stage.

13 . A heat transport medium system for a vehicle, comprising:

a first heat transport medium circuit; and

a second heat transport medium circuit;

a valve/pump unit provided between the first heat transport medium circuit and the second heat transport medium circuit, the valve/pump further comprising:

an electric motor;

a reduction gearbox, which is driven by the electric motor;

at least one first pump stage which is driven by the electric motor for conveying a heat transport medium in a first heat transport medium circuit;

an adjustable multiway valve that is adjusted via the reduction gearbox, the adjustable multiway valve further comprising:

a plurality of heat transport medium channels for providing at least two switching positions between the first heat transport medium circuit and a second heat transport medium circuit of a heat transport medium system; and

a common housing section for accommodating the electric motor, the multiway valve, the reduction gearbox and the at least one first pump stage;

a single freewheel;

wherein, during a pumping operation, in a first direction of rotation of the electric motor, the reduction gearbox is uncoupled from the electric motor via the single freewheel, and the reduction gearbox is operated in a second direction of rotation of the electric motor, opposite to the pumping operation, to adjust the multiway valve.

14 . A vehicle comprising a heat transport medium system of claim 13 .

15 . An operating method for a valve/pump unit of claim 1 , comprising the steps of:

operating the electric motor in the first direction of rotation to drive the at least one pump stage; and

driving the reduction gearbox in the second direction of rotation, opposite to the pumping operation, to adjust the multiway valve such that during the pumping operation, the reduction gearbox is uncoupled from the electric motor via the single freewheel.

16 . The operating method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of driving the first pump stage and the second pump stage by the electric motor during the pumping operation.

17 . The operating method of claim 15 , further comprising the steps of uncoupling or coupling up the second pump stage via the clutch during pumping operation above a specific speed of rotation of the electric motor.