JP2025028523A - Thermostat device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a thermostat device which facilitates a mounting work in a cover member for forming a flow passage of cooling water or a housing.SOLUTION: A thermostat device 1 is assembled to a cooling circuit of an automobile by holding a flange 24 by a cover member for forming a flow passage of cooling water or a housing. The thermostat device includes an annular seal member 30 mounted in an outer peripheral edge section including an outer peripheral edge 24b of the flange 24 and the peripheral portion. The seal member 30 has a fitting groove section formed on an inner peripheral surface and an outward protrusion 30b provided on an outer peripheral surface. Furthermore, a gap 34 is formed as a relief for storing a part of the seal member 30 elastically deformed by pressing when the thermostat device 1 is assembled to the cooling circuit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a thermostat device.

The thermostat device is equipped with a thermoelement that contains a thermal expansion body that expands and contracts in response to changes in the temperature of the cooling water flowing through the flow path between the engine and the radiator, and functions to maintain the cooling water within a specified temperature by opening and closing a control valve via the forward and backward movement of a piston rod caused by the expansion and contraction of this thermal expansion body. The thermostat device that functions in this way is integrated into the automobile's cooling circuit by being sandwiched between a cover member that forms the flow path of the cooling water and a housing to form it as one unit.

As an example of a means of incorporating the above-mentioned thermostat device into the cooling circuit, Patent Document 1 discloses a thermostat mounting structure in which the thermostat is secured to a predetermined position in an inlet housing that forms part of the cooling medium flow path through which the cooling water from the radiator passes, preventing the thermostat from falling out of the inlet housing during packaging and transportation in the engine assembly process, thereby contributing to the streamlining of the engine assembly process.

In detail, as shown in FIG. 19, the conventional thermostat 200 is equipped with a thermo operation unit 221 that maintains the cooling water at a predetermined temperature by opening and closing the valve body (corresponding to the control valve) by the forward and backward movement of the telescopic rod (corresponding to the piston rod) in response to the expansion and contraction of the thermo wax (corresponding to the thermal expansion body) sealed in the valve case (corresponding to the thermoelement), an annular support base 223 with the valve seat 222 at its inner periphery, a support frame 224 that is formed integrally with the support base 223 and guides the valve case slidably along the longitudinal direction of the telescopic rod, and a spring that biases the valve body toward the valve seat is attached between the support frame 224 and the valve body, and a restriction frame 225 that is formed integrally with the support base 223 and restricts the protruding head of the telescopic rod.

A plate-shaped flange portion 226 is connected to the outer diameter side of the valve seat 222, and a gasket 227 is attached to the outer periphery of this flange portion 226, covering the outer periphery on both the top and bottom sides (see Figure 19).

The inner peripheral edge of the lower opening of the inlet housing 211 is provided with a stepped portion 212 that can receive the gasket 227 over its entire circumference, and the outer peripheral edge of the gasket 227 is formed with an outward protrusion 228 that serves as a locking means and supports the thermostat 200 while maintaining its elasticity. In the mounting structure described in Patent Document 1, the thermostat 200 is fixed in the coolant flow path by sandwiching the gasket 227 between the inlet housing 211 and the engine body 213 with the thermostat 200 locked to the stepped portion 212 by the outward protrusion 228.

Specifically, when the gasket 227 is pressed into the step portion 212, the outward protrusion 228 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the step portion 212 while maintaining its elasticity, and the bead portion 229 of the gasket 227 comes into contact with the top surface of the step portion 212. At this time, the outward protrusion 228 is elastically deformed by the pressure, and the gasket 227 is held in the step portion 212 by its restoring elasticity. As a result, the thermostat 200 is supported in a state of maintaining its elasticity against the inner peripheral surface of the step portion 212 without falling, and the thermostat 200 can be stably locked even before the inlet housing 211 and the engine body 213 are fastened together.

JP 2008-50969 A

However, when a gasket 227 (corresponding to a sealing member in the embodiment described later) having an outward protrusion 228 is attached to cover the outer peripheral edge of the flange portion 226 as in the conventional case, a large load is required to press the gasket 227 into the step portion 212 formed in the inlet housing 211 (corresponding to a cover member in the embodiment described later).

Specifically, in order to prevent the thermostat 200 from falling off from the inlet housing 211 during packaging and transportation in the engine assembly process, it is necessary to increase the restoring elasticity due to the elastic deformation of the outward protrusion 228. However, in the mounting structure described in Patent Document 1, there is no means for releasing the pressure caused by the elastic deformation in the step portion 212 against the load at the time of press-fitting, and the greater the restoring elasticity due to the elastic deformation of the outward protrusion 228, the more difficult it becomes to press-fit the gasket 227 into the step portion 212. In other words, there was a problem in that if the load required to press-fit the gasket 227 was increased from the perspective of preventing it from falling off, it would become difficult to mount the thermostat 200 in the inlet housing 211.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a thermostat device that is incorporated into a cooling circuit by clamping a flange with a sealing member attached between a cover member and a housing that form a cooling water flow path, and that makes it easy to attach the thermostat device to the cover member or housing.

The thermostat device according to the present invention comprises a thermoelement incorporating a thermal expansion body that expands and contracts in response to the temperature of the cooling water, a control valve attached to the thermoelement, a piston rod that expands and contracts due to the expansion and contraction of the thermal expansion body, and a flange that forms a valve seat on the inner periphery of the thermoelement, and the control valve opens and closes due to the movement of the thermoelement caused by the expansion and contraction of the piston rod. The thermostat device is incorporated into a cooling circuit by clamping the flange with a cover member and a housing that form a flow path for the cooling water, and is characterized in that it comprises an annular seal member that is attached to the outer periphery including the outer periphery of the flange and its surrounding portion and seals the connection portion between the cover member and the housing, the seal member has an insertion groove formed on the inner periphery to be inserted so as to cover the outer periphery of the flange, and an outward protrusion provided on the outer periphery, and further forms a specific gap as a relief to accommodate a part of the seal member that is elastically deformed by the pressure when the thermostat device is inserted into the cooling circuit.

Specifically, in the thermostat device of the present invention, the gap is formed between the outer peripheral edge of the flange and the bottom surface of the fitting groove.

Alternatively, in the thermostat device according to the present invention, a plurality of the outward protrusions are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the seal member, a notch is provided on a part of the outer peripheral edge of the flange, the gap is formed between the outer peripheral edge of the notch of the flange and the bottom surface of the fitting groove, and the notch is provided to match the position of the outward protrusion. In this case, in this thermostat device, adjacent outward protrusions are arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the seal member so as to be distributed to the cover member side and the housing side when the flange is clamped by the cover member and the housing. In addition, in the case where a jiggle valve, which is an auxiliary valve, is provided on the flange, the seal member has a positioning mark on its inner peripheral surface, and the positioning mark is provided so that the positions of the notch and the outward protrusions match when the seal member is fitted based on the position of the jiggle valve.

Alternatively, in the thermostat device according to the present invention, a plurality of the outward protrusions are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the seal member, and a plurality of ribs are provided on the bottom surface of the fitting groove portion, which abut against the outer peripheral edge of the flange when the outer peripheral edge of the flange is fitted into the seal member, and the gap is formed between the outer peripheral edge of the flange and the bottom surface of the fitting groove portion other than the ribs. In this case, the ribs may be positioned offset from the position of the outward protrusions, or may be positioned to match the position of the outward protrusions.

Alternatively, in the thermostat device according to the present invention, the seal member is provided with intermittent relief grooves as the gaps, and each relief groove is provided on one of two opposing surfaces formed from the outer periphery toward the inner periphery of the seal member. In the thermostat device according to the present invention, the outward protrusions are provided in multiple numbers on the outer periphery of the seal member, and the relief grooves are provided around the outward protrusions. It is also preferable that adjacent relief grooves are provided on different surfaces.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a thermostat device that is easy to install on a cover member or housing.

The present invention makes it easier to attach a thermostat device to a cover member or housing that forms a cooling water flow path, and therefore makes it easier to assemble the thermostat device into the cooling circuit.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a thermostat device according to the present invention is incorporated in a cooling circuit of an automobile. FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the configuration of a cooling water flow passage including a thermostat device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a thermostat device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an assembly method for incorporating the thermostat device according to the present invention into a cooling circuit. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of the seal member. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the seal member is fitted into the flange. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a thermostat device according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the seal member is fitted into the flange. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a modified example of the thermostat device according to the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the appearance of the seal member. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a positioning mark portion when the seal member is provided so as to overlap the jiggle valve. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a thermostat device according to the present invention. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the seal member. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the seal member is fitted into the flange. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the seal member. FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the seal member is fitted into the flange. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a thermostat device according to the present invention. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of the seal member. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the configuration of a conventional thermostat.

The thermostat device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. Furthermore, in the specification and drawings of this application, elements that can be similarly described may be given the same reference numerals to avoid duplicated explanations.

First Embodiment
First, a thermostat device according to a first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the upper and lower sides in the drawings will be referred to as "upper" and "lower" hereinafter.

<Cooling circuit>
Fig. 1 shows an example of a state in which a thermostat device according to the present invention is incorporated into a cooling circuit of an automobile, Fig. 1(a) is a plan view, Fig. 1(b) is a view showing a cross section taken along line A-A', and Fig. 1(c) is an enlarged view showing a cross section taken along line A-A' of a cover member. Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of a cooling water flow path including a thermostat device. The thermostat device 1 of this embodiment is disposed in a cooling circuit of an automobile that circulates cooling water between an engine and a radiator, and is incorporated at a predetermined position in the cooling circuit by sandwiching the thermostat device 1 between a cover member 2 and a housing 3 that form a cooling water flow path, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figures 1(b) and 2, a first inlet 4 for introducing cooling water from the radiator side is formed at the top of the figure, and a second inlet 5 and a third inlet 6 for introducing cooling water that does not pass through the radiator are formed at the bottom and left side of the figure, respectively. Also, a cooling water outlet 7 is formed on the left side of the figure.

Specifically, for example, when the temperature of the cooling water is higher than a predetermined temperature, a valve (control valve 21 shown in FIG. 1(b)) that opens and closes the first cooling water flow path, which is the passage through which the cooling water flows in from the first inlet 4, is opened. The cooling water that flows in via the first cooling water flow path then passes through the thermostat device 1 and flows from the outlet 7 toward the engine side.

For example, if the cooling water pressure rises suddenly in the engine water chamber, a valve (relief valve 22 shown in FIG. 1(b)) that opens and closes the second cooling water flow path, which is the passage for the cooling water flowing in from the second inlet 5, is opened. The cooling water that flows in via the second cooling water flow path passes through the thermostat device 1 and flows toward the engine side from the outlet 7. The relief valve 22 that opens and closes the second cooling water flow path is used for pressure relief, so it opens when the cooling water pressure on the engine side rises, allowing the cooling water to flow, and functions as a safety valve that prevents the cooling water pressure from becoming excessively high.

In addition, in this embodiment, a third cooling water flow path is formed in which the cooling water flowing out from the engine (cylinder head side) does not pass through the radiator (bypasses it) and flows in from the third inlet 6. The cooling water flowing in through this third cooling water flow path is constantly circulated as cooling water for controlling the opening and closing of the control valve 21 depending on its temperature, passes through the thermostat device 1, and flows toward the engine side from the outlet 7. Note that this cooling water may also be cooling water that flows in from the third inlet 6 via various devices such as an EGR cooler, throttle body, CVT warmer, heater, etc.

<Configuration of Thermostat Device>
Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a thermostat device of the first embodiment, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the thermostat device 1 before being attached to the cover member 2 and the housing 3, (b) is a cross-sectional view along B1-B1', and (c) is an enlarged view of part C.

The thermostat device 1 of this embodiment is a thermostat device with a relief function, and includes a thermo-operating part 11 that controls the flow of cooling water that has flowed in through the first cooling water flow path described above, and a relief operating part 12 that controls the flow of cooling water that has flowed in through the second cooling water flow path described above. In this thermostat device 1, the thermo-operating part 11 is housed in an outer shell part 25 consisting of a frame 23 and a flange 24, and the relief operating part 12 is integrally formed in a state where it is fixed to one end side of the thermo-operating part 11 in the longitudinal direction (the lower end part of a thermoelement 26 described later) (see FIG. 3(a)).

The thermo-operating unit 11 is also equipped with a cylindrical thermoelement 26 that contains a thermal expansion body (wax) that expands and contracts in response to the temperature of the cooling water. The expansion and contraction of the thermal expansion body causes the piston rod 27 to expand and contract in the longitudinal direction of the thermo-operating unit 11.

In addition, an umbrella-shaped control valve 21 (valve body) is attached to the thermoelement 26, and this control valve 21 is in a closed state by abutting against a valve seat 28 formed on the inner peripheral edge of the flange 24. A coil spring 29 is arranged to surround the thermoelement 26 so that one end of the coil spring 29 is in contact with a first spring receiving portion 21a formed in a recessed portion of the umbrella-shaped control valve 21, and the other end of the coil spring 29 is held by an annular second spring receiving portion 23a formed at the lower end of the frame 23. Specifically, the second spring receiving portion 23a formed on the frame 23 has a hook-shaped recess formed in an annular shape, and an end of the coil spring 29 (corresponding to the other end of the coil spring 29) is attached to the recess. As a result, the thermo-operating portion 11 is incorporated inside the outer shell portion 25. The control valve 21 is biased in a direction to close the valve by the coil spring 29.

The frame 23 of the thermo-operating unit 11 is provided with a tapered cylindrical portion 23b surrounded by a coil spring 29 in the center of the annular second spring bearing portion 23a. The end of the thermo-element 26, which has approximately the same shape as the tip of the cylindrical portion 23b, is inserted into the tip of the cylindrical portion 23b, and the cylindrical portion 23b guides the thermo-element 26 to slide freely along the axial direction (the longitudinal direction of the thermo-operating unit 11) in response to the extension and contraction of the piston rod 27.

In addition, at the outer shell 25, a flange 24 is connected to the upper end of the frame 23, and the flange 24 is provided with a piston locking portion 24a having a bridge structure that protrudes at a predetermined gradient. The tip of a piston rod 27 is fitted into the piston locking portion 24a provided on this flange 24. As a result, when the piston rod 27 extends, the reaction force acts on the thermoelement 26, and the thermoelement 26 is guided by the cylindrical portion 23b and pushed down.

As shown in Figures 3(a) and (b), an annular seal member 30 is attached to and integrated with the outer peripheral edge (the outer peripheral edge and its surrounding area) of the flange 24 that constitutes the outer shell portion 25. This seal member 30 has a tapered shape that tapers toward the outer periphery, and is intended to seal the connection between the cover member 2 and the housing 3 that forms part of the cooling water passage when the flange 24 of the thermostat device 1 is clamped between the cover member 2 and the housing 3 to be incorporated into the cooling circuit. The detailed shape and structure of the seal member 30 will be described later.

When the piston rod 27 protrudes due to thermal expansion of the thermal expansion body, the thermo-operated unit 11 configured as described above moves the thermo-element 26 and the control valve 21 downward against the biasing force of the coil spring 29, and the control valve 21 opens. As a result, the thermo-operated unit 11 causes the cooling water (cooling water from the radiator side) that has flowed in through the first cooling water flow path to flow out from the outlet 7 toward the engine side. In other words, the thermo-operated unit 11 operates by switching between a closed state and an open state by moving the control valve 21 fixed to the thermo-element 26 and the valve seat 28 formed on the inner peripheral edge of the flange 24 closer and closer to each other in response to the expansion and contraction of the piston rod 27.

On the other hand, the relief operation part 12 has a relief rod 31 as a valve shaft. One end of this relief rod 31 is fixed to one longitudinal end of the thermo-operating part 11 (the lower end of the thermo-element 26), so that the relief operation part 12 is integrated with the thermo-operating part 11.

The relief valve 22, which is a generally plate-shaped valve body, is fitted and assembled to the other end of the relief rod 31 and is secured by an E-ring or the like. This relief valve 22 is supported by being biased against a valve seat 33 (see FIG. 1(b)) formed at a predetermined position in the second cooling water flow path in the housing 3 by a coil spring 32 arranged between the lower end of the thermoelement 26 and the relief valve 22 so as to surround the periphery of the relief rod 31.

In the relief operation unit 12 configured as described above, the relief valve 22 is structured to be seated on the valve seat 33 by the biasing force of the coil spring 32, and is opened and closed according to the cooling water pressure on the second cooling water flow path side. In other words, when the thermostat device 1 of this embodiment is assembled into the cover member 2 and the housing 3, the relief valve 22 is constantly seated on the valve seat 33 by the biasing force of the coil spring 32 except when the cooling water pressure exceeds a predetermined value (upper limit value) (the relief valve 22 is a constantly seated type valve).

<Assembly Method>
Next, a method of assembling the thermostat device 1 of this embodiment into a cooling circuit will be described. Note that this is based on the premise that a mounting groove 2a is provided in advance around the entire inner circumference of the lower end opening of the cover member 2, as shown in Fig. 1(c), for press-fitting the flange 24 with the seal member 30 fitted thereinto.

Figure 4 shows an example of an assembly method for incorporating the thermostat device 1 into a cooling circuit, with (a) to (c) showing the first to third steps of the assembly method (referred to as the first assembly method).

In this embodiment, first, in the first step, the flange 24 with the seal member 30 fitted therein is pressed into the mounting groove portion 2a (see FIG. 1(c)) provided in the cover member 2, and the thermostat device 1 and the cover member 2 are integrated.

Next, in the second step, the thermostat device 1 (the portion below the flange 24) fixed to the cover member 2 is inserted into the housing 3 through the upper end opening.

Finally, in the third step, the flange 24 with the sealing member 30 fitted therein is held in a sandwiched state between the lower end of the cover member 2 and the upper end of the housing 3, and the cover member 2 and the housing 3 are fastened together to form an integral unit. When the cover member 2 and the housing 3 are fastened together to form an integral unit, the upper and lower enlarged diameter portions formed in the tapered sealing member 30 are also pressed and deformed into a compressed state, and as a result, the connection portion between the two integrally formed units is sealed. This allows the thermostat device 1 to be incorporated into the cooling circuit.

<Details of Seal Member 30>
Next, the shape and structure of the seal member 30 used in the thermostat device 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 5 shows an example of the shape of the sealing member 30, where (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a perspective view. Also, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the sealing member 30 is fitted into the flange 24, where (a) is a schematic diagram of this state as seen from the front, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the D-D' cross section.

The sealing member 30 used in the thermostat device 1 of this embodiment is, for example, an annular rubber ring that tapers toward the outer periphery as shown in Figures 5 and 6, and its inner periphery has an insertion groove 30a formed around the entire periphery for fitting the sealing member 30 to cover both the upper and lower sides of the outer periphery of the flange 24.

In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the seal member 30 is provided with outward protrusions 30b that can support the thermostat device 1 by elasticity as a locking means. It is preferable to provide a plurality of outward protrusions 30b at specific intervals so that the thermostat device 1 can be stably supported. In this embodiment, as an example, eight outward protrusions 30b are provided at equal intervals. By providing the outward protrusions 30b, when the flange 24 with the seal member 30 fitted therein is pressed into the mounting groove portion 2a together with the outward protrusions 30b, the outward protrusions 30b come into contact (elastic contact) with the inner peripheral surface 2b (see FIG. 1(c)) of the mounting groove portion 2a while maintaining elasticity, and one side of the ring-shaped seal member 30 is abutted against the upper surface 2c (see FIG. 1(c)) of the mounting groove portion 2a. At this time, the outward projection 30b is elastically deformed by the pressure, and the seal member 30 is engaged with the inner peripheral surface 2b by its restoring elasticity (reaction force), so the thermostat device 1 will not fall off even if you let go of it, and is supported in a state where it maintains its elasticity against the inner peripheral surface 2b of the mounting groove 2a. In other words, even before the cover member 2 and the housing 3 are sandwiched and fastened together, the thermostat device 1 can be stably engaged with the cover member 2.

The spacing and number of the outward protrusions 30b are not limited to the above, and can be changed as appropriate depending on the specifications of the thermostat device 1, the assembly method used when incorporating the thermostat device 1 into the cooling circuit, the work speed during assembly, etc.

In addition, in this embodiment, a specific gap is formed inside the fitting groove portion 30a to accommodate a portion of the sealing member 30 that elastically deforms due to pressure when the thermostat device 1 is installed in the cooling circuit.

3(c) and 6, a gap 34 is provided between the outer peripheral edge 24b of the flange 24 and the bottom surface 30c of the fitting groove 30a. This gap 34 is a space formed by satisfying the condition "diameter of the outer peripheral edge 24b: m < diameter of the bottom surface 30c: n", and the width of the gap 34 may be equal around the entire circumference, or may not be equal (the center of the outer peripheral edge 24b and the center of the bottom surface 30c do not need to coincide). In other words, as long as the seal member 30 is fitted so as to cover both the upper and lower surfaces of the outer peripheral edge portion of the flange 24 (the outer peripheral edge 24b and its surrounding area) all around (see FIG. 6), the width of the gap 34 does not need to be equal around the entire circumference, and there may be some parts where there is no gap (parts where the outer peripheral edge 24b and the bottom surface 30c abut).

By providing the gap 34 as the specific gap, when the flange 24 with the seal member 30 fitted therein is pressed into the mounting groove 2a, the gap 34 functions as a "relief (play)" for the outward protrusion 30b and the surrounding area that are elastically deformed by pressure, thereby reducing the load applied during the press-fitting. This makes it easier to attach the thermostat device 1 to the cover member 2.

In addition, because the load applied during press-fitting can be reduced, problems during installation, such as poor sealing due to curling of the sealing member 30 and damage due to compression cracking, can be significantly reduced.

<Effects, etc.>
As described above, the thermostat device 1 of the present embodiment comprises a thermoelement 26 incorporating a thermal expansion body that expands and contracts in response to the temperature of the cooling water, a control valve 21 attached to the thermoelement 26, a piston rod 27 that expands and contracts due to the expansion and contraction of the thermal expansion body, and a flange 24 forming a valve seat 28 on whose inner periphery the control valve 21 sits, and the control valve 21 operates to open and close due to the movement of the thermoelement 26 caused by the expansion and contraction of the piston rod 27, and the thermostat device is incorporated into the cooling circuit of an automobile by clamping the flange 24 with the cover member 2 and housing 3 which form a flow path for the cooling water, and comprises an annular sealing member 30 attached to the outer periphery including the outer periphery 24b of the flange 24 and its surrounding area.

The seal member 30 has an insertion groove 30a formed on the inner peripheral surface to fit over the outer peripheral edge of the flange 24, and an outward protrusion 30b on the outer peripheral surface. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a gap 34 is formed as a relief to accommodate a part of the seal member 30 (the outward protrusion 30b and its surrounding area) that is elastically deformed by pressure when the thermostat device is incorporated into the cooling circuit. In this embodiment, the gap 34 is formed between the outer peripheral edge 24b of the flange 24 and the bottom surface 30c of the insertion groove 30a formed in the seal member 30.

This makes it easier to attach the thermostat device 1 to the cover member 2 or housing 3 that forms the cooling water flow path, and in turn makes it easier to assemble the thermostat device 1 into the cooling circuit of the automobile. In addition, the thermostat device 1 of this embodiment can reduce the load applied during press-fitting, which can significantly reduce problems caused by the attachment process, such as poor sealing due to curling of the sealing member and damage due to compression cracks.

In this embodiment, as an example, a thermostat device having a relief function is described as being incorporated into the cooling circuit of an automobile, but the thermostat device to be incorporated into the cooling circuit is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to other thermostat devices as long as the thermostat device is a type in which an annular sealing member is fitted to cover the entire upper and lower surfaces of the outer peripheral edge of the flange, and the flange with the sealing member fitted is clamped and fixed from both the upper and lower surfaces.

In addition, in this embodiment, the mounting groove 2a is provided on the inner circumference of the lower end opening of the cover member 2, but this is not limited to this. For example, the mounting groove may be provided on the housing 3 side, rather than on the cover member 2 side. Specifically, the mounting groove may be provided around the entire inner circumference of the upper end opening of the housing 3.

When a mounting groove is provided on the housing 3 side, first, in the first step, the flange 24 with the seal member 30 fitted therein is pressed into the mounting groove provided on the housing 3 side, and the thermostat device 1 and the housing 3 are integrated. Then, in the second step, the thermostat device 1 (the part above the flange 24) fixed to the housing 3 is inserted into the interior from the lower end opening of the cover member 2, and finally, in the third step, the seal member 30 is sandwiched between the cover member 2 and the housing 3 and held there, and the cover member 2 and the housing 3 are fastened together (referred to as the second assembly method). This allows the thermostat device 1 to be incorporated into the cooling circuit.

As described above, the thermostat device 1 used in this embodiment has a constantly seated relief valve 22, so when the flange 24 is pressed into the mounting groove provided on the housing 3 side, the biasing force of the coil spring 32 may cause the thermostat device 1 to come out of the mounting groove. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first assembly method in which the flange 24 is pressed into the mounting groove 2a provided on the cover member 2 side is preferable to the second assembly method in which the flange 24 is pressed into the mounting groove provided on the housing 3 side. The second assembly method is suitable, for example, for a thermostat device that does not have a relief function.

In addition, in this embodiment, a rubber ring made of rubber material is used as the sealing member 30, but this is not limited to this, and any material can be used as long as it has the desired sealing properties and durability.

Second Embodiment
Next, a thermostat device according to a second embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Elements that can be described in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again. The configuration of the cooling circuit shown in Figures 1 and 2 is the same as that of the first embodiment described above.

<Thermostat device>
Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a thermostat device of the second embodiment, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the thermostat device 101 before being attached to the cover member 2 and the housing 3, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along B2-B2', and (c) is an enlarged view of part E.

The thermostat device 101 of this embodiment is a thermostat device having a relief function, similar to the first embodiment described above, and differs from the first embodiment only in the shape of the flange (hereinafter referred to as flange 41). That is, in the thermostat device 101 of this embodiment, the thermo-operating part 11 is housed in the outer shell part 42 consisting of the frame 23 and the flange 41, and the relief operating part 12 is integrally formed in a state where it is fixed to one end side of the thermo-operating part 11 in the longitudinal direction (the lower end part of the thermoelement 26) (see FIG. 7(a)).

As shown in Figures 7(a) and (b), an annular seal member 30 is attached to and integrated with the flange 41 on its outer periphery (the outer periphery and its surrounding area). This seal member 30 has a tapered shape that tapers toward the outer periphery, and is intended to seal the connection between the cover member 2 and the housing 3, which forms part of the cooling water passage, when the flange 41 of the thermostat device 101 is clamped between the cover member 2 and the housing 3 to be incorporated into the cooling circuit.

In addition, in this embodiment, a specific gap is formed to accommodate a portion of the seal member 30 that elastically deforms when pressed when the thermostat device is installed in the cooling circuit.

Specifically, as shown in Figures 7(b) and (c), an arc-shaped cutout 41a is provided on a portion of the outer periphery of the flange 41. It is preferable that this cutout 41a is provided in accordance with the position of the outward protrusion 30b in order to facilitate the press-fitting of the flange 41, with the seal member 30 fitted, into the mounting groove 2a of the cover member 2.

By providing the cutout portion 41a as the specific gap, when the flange 41 with the seal member 30 fitted therein is pressed into the mounting groove portion 2a, the gap formed by the cutout portion 41a (the gap between the outer peripheral edge 41b of the cutout portion 41a of the flange 41 and the bottom surface 30c of the fitting groove portion 30a of the seal member 30) functions as a "relief (play)" for the outward protrusion 30b and its surrounding area, which elastically deform when pressed, thereby reducing the load applied during the press-fitting. This makes it easier to attach the thermostat device 101 to the cover member 2.

In this embodiment, an arc-shaped cutout portion 41a is provided as an example, but this is not limited to this. For example, it is sufficient that a specific gap is formed by the cutout portion 41a, and the shape of the cutout portion 41a may be a shape other than an arc.

In addition, the explanation of the <Thermostat device configuration> and <Assembly method> other than the description of forming a specific gap by the cutout portion 41a is the same as in the first embodiment described above, and can be explained by replacing the thermostat device 1 with the thermostat device 101, the flange 24 with the flange 41, and the outer shell portion 25 with the outer shell portion 42.

<Details of Seal Member 30>
In the thermostat device 101 of this embodiment, the seal member is the seal member 30, similar to the thermostat device 1 of the first embodiment described above. Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the seal member 30 is fitted into the flange 41. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, the seal member 30 is fitted so as to cover the entire upper and lower surfaces of the outer peripheral edge portion of the flange 41 (the outer peripheral edge 41b and its surrounding area).

In the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figs. 3(c) and 6, a gap 34 is provided between the outer peripheral edge 24b of the flange 24 and the bottom surface 30c of the fitting groove 30a. However, in this embodiment, as described above, a notch 41a is provided in the flange 41 in accordance with the position of the outward protrusion 30b of the sealing member 30, and a space (gap) is formed as "escape (play)" when the seal member 30 is pressed in, so that the gap 34 having a similar function is not a required configuration.

Thus, FIG. 8 shows, as an example, a case in which a gap 34 is provided between the outer peripheral edge 41b of the flange 41 other than the cutout portion 41a and the bottom surface 30c of the fitting groove portion 30a, but in this embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 7(c), the outer peripheral edge 41b of the flange 41 other than the cutout portion 41a may be abutted against the bottom surface 30c of the fitting groove portion 30a, and no gap 34 may be provided.

The details of the sealing member 30 other than the description regarding the formation of the above gap are the same as those in the first embodiment, and can be explained by replacing the thermostat device 1 with the thermostat device 101, the flange 24 with the flange 41, and the outer shell portion 25 with the outer shell portion 42.

<Effects, etc.>
As described above, in the thermostat device 101 of this embodiment, the notch 41a is provided in a part of the flange 41, and a clearance is formed between the outer periphery 41b of the notch 41a of the flange 41 and the bottom surface 30c of the fitting groove 30a as a clearance for accommodating a part of the seal member 30 (the outward protrusion 30b and its surrounding part) that is elastically deformed by the pressure applied when the thermostat device 101 is incorporated into the cooling circuit. Furthermore, the notch 41a is provided to match the position of the outward protrusion 30b.

This makes it easier to attach the thermostat device 101 to the cover member 2 or housing 3 that forms the cooling water flow path, and in turn makes it easier to assemble the thermostat device 101 when it is installed in the cooling circuit of the automobile. In addition, the thermostat device 101 of this embodiment can reduce the load applied during press-fitting, which can significantly reduce problems caused by the attachment process, such as poor sealing due to curling of the sealing member and damage due to compression cracks.

<Modification of the second embodiment>
Next, a modified example of the thermostat device of the second embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As described above, in the thermostat device 101 of the second embodiment, a plurality of notches 41a are intermittently provided on the outer peripheral edge 41b of the flange 41, and in order to facilitate press-fitting the flange 41 with the seal member 30 fitted into the mounting groove 2a, the seal member 30 is fitted into the flange 41 so that the notches 41a and the outward protrusions 30b are aligned (see FIGS. 7(b) and 7(c) and 8).

In this modified example, the further objective is to facilitate the task of fitting the cutout portion 41a into the position of the outward protrusion 30b' (see Figure 8).

Figure 9 shows a modified example of the thermostat device of the second embodiment, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a plan view. Also, Figure 10 shows the appearance of the sealing member used in this modified example, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a schematic view of the sealing member as viewed from the side.

The thermostat device 101' in this modified example has the same structure as the thermostat device 101 described above, except for the shape of the seal member. In this modified example, for example, a jiggle valve 41c, which is an auxiliary valve for bleeding air (see FIG. 9), is used to position the seal member 30' when fitting it into the flange 41, making it easier to fit the seal member 30' into the flange 41.

In the thermostat device 101 of the second embodiment described above, for convenience of explanation, the jiggle valve 41c is not specifically mentioned, but the jiggle valve (not shown) functions as an auxiliary valve for air bleeding. In addition, in this modified example, as an example, a case is described in which 12 outward protrusions 30b' of the seal member 30' are provided at equal intervals (the thermostat device 101 of the second embodiment has 8 outward protrusions 30b as an example). Therefore, in the thermostat device 101' in the state in which the seal member 30' is fitted as shown in FIG. 9(a), 12 cutout portions 41a are provided at equal intervals, and it is assumed that the positions of the cutout portions 41a and the outward protrusions 30b' match as in the second embodiment (see FIG. 8 for the state in which the seal member 30' is fitted into the flange 41).

The seal member 30' used in this modified example is an annular rubber ring, as in the second embodiment (see FIG. 10(a)), and its inner circumferential surface is formed with an insertion groove 30a around the entire circumference for insertion into the outer circumferential edge portion of the flange 41 (the outer circumferential edge 41b and its surrounding area) so as to cover both the upper and lower surfaces of the outer circumferential edge portion.

In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the seal member 30' is provided with outward protrusions 30b' that can elastically support the thermostat device 101' as a locking means. In this modified example, as described above, 12 outward protrusions 30b' are provided at equal intervals, and adjacent outward protrusions 30b' are alternately arranged on the upper side and the lower side of the outer peripheral surface when the seal member 30' is viewed from the side, as shown in FIG. 10(b). That is, the outward protrusions 30b' are arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the seal member 30' so as to be distributed to the cover member 2 side (corresponding to the upper side of the outer peripheral surface) and the housing 3 side (corresponding to the lower side of the outer peripheral surface) when the flange 41 is clamped between the cover member 2 and the housing 3. Here, for convenience, the outward protrusions 30b' provided on the cover member 2 side are referred to as the upper outward protrusions 30d, and the outward protrusions 30b' provided on the housing 3 side are referred to as the lower outward protrusions 30e.

By providing the outward protrusions 30b' (upper outward protrusions 30d, lower outward protrusions 30e) in this manner, when the flange 41 with the seal member 30' fitted therein is pressed into the mounting groove 2a of the cover member 2 together with the outward protrusions 30b', the upper outward protrusions 30d come into elastic contact (elastic contact) with the inner circumferential surface 2b (see FIG. 1(c)) of the mounting groove 2a, and one side of the ring-shaped seal member 30' comes into contact with the upper surface 2c (see FIG. 1(c)) of the mounting groove 2a. At this time, the upper outward protrusions 30d are elastically deformed by pressure, and the seal member 30' is engaged with the inner circumferential surface 2b by its restoring elasticity (reaction force), so that the thermostat device 101' is supported in an elastic state against the inner circumferential surface 2b of the mounting groove 2a without falling off even if the thermostat device 101' is released. In other words, the thermostat device 101' can be stably locked to the cover member 2 even before it is sandwiched between the cover member 2 and the housing 3 and fastened together.

In this modified example, the upper outward protrusions 30d and the lower outward protrusions 30e are alternately provided, but for example, when the mounting groove 2a is provided on the inner circumference of the lower end opening of the cover member 2, the outward protrusions 30b' that function as a fall prevention device in the thermostat device 101' shown in FIG. 9(a) are the upper outward protrusions 30d (the outward protrusions 30b' on the cover member 2 side), and the gap that functions to suppress the load applied during press-fitting is the gap formed by the cutout portion 41a corresponding to the upper outward protrusions 30d. In this case, the lower outward protrusions 30e do not function to prevent fall-off or to suppress the load applied during press-fitting, but by alternately providing the upper outward protrusions 30d and the lower outward protrusions 30e, the same effect can be obtained without considering the surface (front and back) of the annular seal member 30', that is, regardless of which surface is attached to the cover member 2 side.

On the other hand, when a mounting groove is provided on the housing 3 side, the outward protrusion 30b' that functions to prevent falling off in the thermostat device 101' shown in Figure 9 (a) is the lower outward protrusion 30e (the outward protrusion 30b' on the housing 3 side), and the gap that functions to suppress the load applied during press-fitting is the gap formed by the cutout portion 41a that corresponds to the lower outward protrusion 30e.

The inner peripheral surface of the seal member 30' used in this modified example is provided with a positioning marker portion 30f, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10(a). As an example, the positioning marker portion 30f is formed of two protrusions, and is provided so that when the seal member 30' is fitted so that the jiggle valve 41c provided on the flange 41 is positioned between the two protrusions, the positions of the notch portion 41a and the outward protrusion 30b' automatically match. This simplifies the positioning for matching the positions of the notch portion 41a and the outward protrusion 30b', and therefore facilitates the work of fitting the seal member 30' into the flange 41.

That is, by using the positioning mark 30f described above for positioning, the notch 41a of the flange 41 and the outward protrusion 30b' of the seal member 30' can be easily aligned. Also, by providing the upper outward protrusion 30d and the lower outward protrusion 30e, the seal member 30' can be fitted into the flange 41 without having to consider the surface (front and back) of the annular seal member 30'.

The above-mentioned positioning mark portion 30f is not limited to this, and may have any shape and structure. In this modified example, the positioning mark portion 30f is formed with two protrusions as an example, but this positioning mark portion 30f only needs to realize positioning to match the positions of the cutout portion 41a and the outward protrusion 30b', and for example, a symbol or figure serving as a mark may be engraved on the seal member 30'.

Also, as shown in FIG. 11 (outward projection 30b' is omitted in the figure), if the seal member 30' is arranged to hang over the jiggle valve 41c, a notch may be provided in the seal member 30' to avoid the jiggle valve 41c. This makes it possible to use this notch as a positioning mark (positioning mark portion 30f).

Third Embodiment
Next, a thermostat device according to a third embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Elements that can be described in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again. The configuration of the cooling circuit shown in Figures 1 and 2 is the same as in the first embodiment described above.

<Thermostat device>
12 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a thermostat device of the third embodiment, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the thermostat device 102 before being attached to the cover member 2 and the housing 3, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B3-B3', and (c) is an enlarged view of part F. The thermostat device 102 of this embodiment differs from the thermostat device 1 of the first embodiment only in the structure of the seal member (hereinafter referred to as seal member 51).

Therefore, the explanation of the <configuration of the thermostat device> and the <assembly method> other than the above is the same as in the first embodiment, and can be explained by replacing thermostat device 1 with thermostat device 102 and sealing member 30 with sealing member 51.

<Details of Seal Member 51>
Next, the shape and structure of the seal member 51 used in the thermostat device 102 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 13 is a diagram showing a B3-B3' cross section (see Figure 12(a)) of the sealing member 51 used in the thermostat device 102 of this embodiment. Also, Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the sealing member 51 is fitted into the flange 24. The appearance (front view, side view, and perspective view) of the sealing member 51 is the same as the sealing member 30 used in the thermostat device 1 of the first embodiment described above (see Figure 5).

The seal member 51 used in the thermostat device 102 of this embodiment is an annular rubber ring that tapers toward the outer periphery as shown in FIG. 5, and has an insertion groove 51a formed around its inner periphery for fitting the ring so as to cover both the upper and lower sides of the outer periphery of the flange 24. The seal member 30 used in the first embodiment and the seal member 51 used in this embodiment differ only in the internal structure of the insertion groove.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, the bottom surface 51b of the fitting groove 51a is provided with a plurality of convex ribs 51c protruding toward the flange 24 so as to abut against the outer periphery 24b when the flange 24 is fitted into the seal member 51. As a result, a gap 52 is formed between the outer periphery 24b of the flange 24 and the bottom surface 51b of the fitting groove 51a other than the ribs 51c as the specific gap described above. It is preferable that the ribs 51c are disposed offset from the positions of the outward protrusions 30b. By providing the ribs 51c at this position, when the flange 24 with the seal member 51 fitted therein is pressed into the mounting groove 2a, the gaps 52 function as "escape (play)" for the outward protrusions 30b elastically deformed by pressure and their surrounding portions, so that the load applied during the press-fitting can be suppressed. As a result, the same effect as in the first embodiment is achieved, which is that the installation work of the thermostat device 102 to the cover member 2 is facilitated.

In addition, because the load applied during press-fitting can be reduced, problems during installation, such as poor sealing due to curling of the sealing member 51 or damage due to compression cracking, can be significantly reduced.

The explanation of the <Details of the sealing member 51> other than the description of the internal structure of the fitting groove portion 51a and the formation of the gap 52 is the same as the <Details of the sealing member 30> in the first embodiment described above, and can be explained by replacing the thermostat device 1 with the thermostat device 102 and the sealing member 30 with the sealing member 51.

<Effects, etc.>
As described above, in the thermostat device 102 of this embodiment, the gap 52 is formed between the outer peripheral edge 24b of the flange 24 and the bottom surface 51b of the fitting groove 51a other than the rib 51c, as a clearance for accommodating a part of the seal member 51 (the outward protrusion 30b and its surrounding portion) that is elastically deformed by pressure when the thermostat device 102 is installed in the cooling circuit. The rib 51c is preferably positioned offset from the position of the outward protrusion 30b.

This makes it easier to attach the thermostat device 102 to the cover member 2 or housing 3 that forms the cooling water flow path, and in turn makes it easier to assemble the thermostat device 102 when it is installed in the cooling circuit of the automobile. In addition, the thermostat device 102 of this embodiment can reduce the load applied when it is pressed in, which significantly reduces problems caused by the attachment process, such as poor sealing due to the seal member curling up and damage due to compression cracks.

Third embodiment: first modified example
In the third embodiment described above, the rib 51c is arranged offset from the position of each outward protrusion 30b, but this is not limiting. For example, as a first modification of the seal member 51 described above, the rib 51c may be arranged to match the position of each outward protrusion 30b provided on the seal member 51. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a B-B' cross section of the seal member 51 in the first modification. FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the seal member 51 of the first modification is fitted into the flange 24. In this first modification as well, a gap 52 is formed between the outer peripheral edge 24b of the flange 24 and the bottom surface 51b of the fitting groove portion 51a other than the rib 51c.

This first modification is effective, for example, when using a seal member that is relatively lower in hardness (e.g., about 60) than the hardness of commonly used seal members (e.g., about 70) and is more easily deformed. By providing ribs 51c at the positions shown in Figs. 15 and 16, when flange 24 with seal member 51 fitted therein is pressed into mounting groove 2a, gaps 52 formed at positions offset from the positions of each outward protrusion 30b function as "escape (play)" for outward protrusions 30b, ribs 51c, and their surrounding areas that are elastically deformed by pressure, thereby reducing the load applied during press-fitting.

<Third embodiment: second modified example>
In the third embodiment described above, the multiple ribs 51c are provided based on the positions of the outward protrusions 30b, but for example, the multiple ribs 51c may be provided without using the positions of the outward protrusions 30b as a reference. Specifically, instead of the outward protrusions 30b, an annular outward protrusion (not shown) may be provided as a locking means around the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the seal member 51, and multiple convex ribs 51c may be provided at any position on the bottom surface 51b of the fitting groove 51a. In this modification, a gap 52 is also formed between the outer circumferential edge 24b of the flange 24 and the bottom surface 51b of the fitting groove 51a other than the ribs 51c.

Fourth Embodiment
Next, a thermostat device according to a fourth embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Elements that can be described in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again. The configuration of the cooling circuit shown in Figures 1 and 2 is the same as in the first embodiment described above.

<Thermostat device>
17 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a thermostat device of the fourth embodiment, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the thermostat device 103 before being attached to the cover member 2 and the housing 3, and (b) is an enlarged view of part G. The thermostat device 103 of this embodiment differs from the thermostat device 1 of the first embodiment in the external shape of the seal member (hereinafter referred to as the seal member 61) and the depth of the fitting groove (hereinafter referred to as the fitting groove 61a).

Therefore, the explanation of the <thermostat device configuration> and <assembly method> other than the above is the same as in the first embodiment, and can be explained by replacing thermostat device 1 with thermostat device 103 and sealing member 30 with sealing member 61.

<Details of Seal Member 61>
Next, the shape and structure of the seal member 61 used in the thermostat device 103 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 18 shows an example of the shape of the sealing member 61, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is an enlarged view of part H.

The seal member 61 used in the thermostat device 103 of this embodiment is, for example, an annular rubber ring tapered toward the outer periphery as shown in Figures 17 and 18, and has an insertion groove 61a formed around the entire inner periphery for fitting the ring so as to cover both the upper and lower sides of the outer periphery of the flange 24. Note that in this embodiment, as an example, the seal member 61 is an annular rubber ring tapered toward the outer periphery, but is not limited to this, and any shape can be used as long as it can seal the cooling water, such as an annular rubber ring whose opposing surfaces (upper and lower surfaces) are parallel.

In addition, in this embodiment, the gap 34 formed in the first embodiment described above is not provided, and the outer peripheral edge 24b of the flange 24 and the bottom surface 61b of the fitting groove 61a are brought into contact over the entire circumference as shown in FIG. 17(b). In other words, the depth of the fitting groove is different from that of the seal member 30 in the first embodiment.

The sealing member 61 used in the thermostat device 103 of this embodiment is designed to have a specific gap to accommodate a portion of the sealing member 30 that elastically deforms due to pressure when the thermostat device is installed in the cooling circuit.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 18, the escape grooves 61c are provided intermittently as the specific gaps, and each escape groove 61c is provided on the upper surface (hereinafter referred to as the upper surface) or the lower surface (hereinafter referred to as the lower surface) of the seal member 61. That is, each escape groove 61c is provided on one of two opposing surfaces (upper surface, lower surface) formed from the outer peripheral edge to the inner peripheral edge of the seal member 61. In this embodiment, as an example, eight outward protrusions 30b are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the seal member 61 (see FIG. 18(a)), and eight escape grooves 61c are provided individually around these outward protrusions 30b. In this embodiment, when the seal member 61 is fitted into the flange 24, at least one escape groove 61c is arranged to be below the outward protrusion 30b (see FIG. 17).

By providing the escape groove 61c as described above, when the flange 24 with the seal member 61 fitted therein is pressed into the mounting groove 2a, the gap created by the escape groove 61c functions as a "relief (play)" for the outward protrusion 30b and its surrounding area that are elastically deformed by pressure, thereby reducing the load applied during the press-fitting. This has the same effect as the first embodiment, making it easier to attach the thermostat device 103 to the cover member 2.

In addition, because the load applied during press-fitting can be reduced, problems during installation, such as poor sealing due to curling of the sealing member 61 or damage due to compression cracking, can be significantly reduced.

On the other hand, for example, if the escape groove is formed around the entire outer periphery of the seal member, the volume of the seal member will be reduced (the volume of the gap that allows the elastically deformed outward protrusion 30b to escape will be increased), and there is a risk of a decrease in sealing force when the seal member is sandwiched between the cover member 2 and the housing 3. On the other hand, if the escape groove 61c is formed intermittently as described in this embodiment, the reduction in volume of the seal member 61 caused by forming the escape groove 61c is suppressed, so that a sufficient sealing force can be ensured when the seal member 61 is sandwiched between the cover member 2 and the housing 3.

The seal member 61 may have all the escape grooves 61c on the same surface side (upper surface side or lower surface side). In this case, when fitting the seal member 61 into the flange 24, the seal member 61 is fitted while checking the orientation of each seal member 61 so that the escape groove 61c is below the outward protrusion 30b (see FIG. 17). Therefore, from the viewpoint of ease of work when fitting the seal member 61 into the flange 24, it is preferable that the seal member 61 used in the thermostat device 103 of this embodiment is such that adjacent escape grooves 61c are not on the same surface side (upper surface side or lower surface side) as much as possible. As a result, the escape grooves 61c are distributed on both sides of the seal member 61, and about half of the escape grooves 61c are located below the outward protrusion 30b without being aware of the orientation of the seal member 61, so that the seal member 61 can be easily fitted into the flange 24.

In addition, in this embodiment, as an example, the configuration has the outward protrusions 30b provided intermittently as in the other embodiments, but the outward protrusions 30b do not necessarily have to be intermittent. For example, the outward protrusions 30b may be formed in a ring shape around the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the seal member 61. When the outward protrusions 30b are formed around the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the seal member 61, the escape grooves 61c function as an escape (play) during press-fitting if they are formed intermittently (for example, if eight escape grooves 61c are formed intermittently as described above).

The explanation of the <Details of sealing member 61> other than the description of the appearance of sealing member 61 (escape groove 61c), the depth of fitting groove portion 61a, and the formation of the gap is the same as the <Details of sealing member 30> in the first embodiment described above, and can be explained by replacing thermostat device 1 with thermostat device 103 and sealing member 30 with sealing member 61.

<Effects, etc.>
As described above, in the thermostat device 103 of this embodiment, the seal member 61 is provided with intermittent relief grooves as gaps, and each relief groove is provided on one of two opposing faces formed from the outer circumferential edge toward the inner circumferential edge of the seal member 61. Furthermore, when a plurality of outward projections 30b are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the seal member 61, the seal member 61 is provided with relief grooves 61c around the outward projections 30b on one of two opposing faces formed from the outer circumferential edge toward the inner circumferential edge.

This makes it easier to attach the thermostat device 103 to the cover member 2 or housing 3 that forms the cooling water flow path, and in turn makes it easier to assemble the thermostat device 103 when it is installed in the cooling circuit of the automobile. In addition, the thermostat device 103 of this embodiment can reduce the load applied when it is pressed in, which significantly reduces problems caused by the attachment process, such as poor sealing due to curling of the sealing member and damage due to compression cracks.

In addition, in this embodiment, the escape grooves 61c are formed intermittently, so that the reduction in volume of the seal member 61 caused by forming the escape grooves 61c can be suppressed, and as a result, sufficient sealing force can be ensured when the seal member 61 is sandwiched between the cover member 2 and the housing 3.

Although not specifically mentioned in the description of each embodiment, each embodiment and modification other than the first modification of the third embodiment is effective, for example, when the hardness of the sealing member used is the hardness of commonly used sealing members (for example, a hardness of about 70) or when a sealing member that is relatively harder and less likely to deform is used.

In addition, the shape and structure of the thermostat device in the first to fourth embodiments are not limited to those in the above-described embodiments, and the shape and structure of each part can be modified or changed as appropriate depending on the device specifications, usage environment, etc.

1, 101, 101', 102, 103 Thermostat device 2 Cover member 2a Mounting groove portion 2b Inner peripheral surface 2c Top surface 3 Housing 4 First inlet 5 Second inlet 6 Third inlet 7 Cooling water outlet 11 Thermo-operating portion 12 Relief operating portion 21 Control valve 21a First spring receiving portion 22 Relief valve 23 Frame 23a Second spring receiving portion 23b Cylindrical portion 24, 41 Flange 24a Piston engaging portion 24b Outer peripheral edge 25, 42 Outer shell portion 26 Thermoelement 27 Piston rod 28, 33 Valve seat 29 Coil spring 30, 30', 51, 61 Seal member 30a, 51a, 61a Fitting groove portion 30b, 30b' Outward projection 30c, 51b, 61b Bottom surface 30d Upper outward protrusion 30e Lower outward protrusion 30f Positioning mark 31 Relief rod 32 Coil spring 34, 52 Gap 41a Notch 41b Outer periphery 41c Jiggle valve 51c Rib 61c Relief groove

Claims (11)

a thermoelement incorporating a thermal expansion body which expands and contracts in response to the temperature of cooling water; a control valve attached to the thermoelement; a piston rod which expands and contracts due to the expansion and contraction of the thermal expansion body; and a flange which forms a valve seat on an inner periphery of the flange, the control valve being opened and closed by movement of the thermoelement due to expansion and contraction of the piston rod, the thermostat device being incorporated into a cooling circuit by clamping the flange with a cover member and a housing which form a flow path for cooling water,
a ring-shaped seal member attached to an outer circumferential edge portion including an outer circumferential edge of the flange and a peripheral portion thereof, the ring-shaped seal member sealing a connection portion between the cover member and the housing;
the seal member has an insertion groove formed on an inner circumferential surface thereof for insertion therein so as to cover an outer circumferential edge portion of the flange, and an outward protrusion provided on an outer circumferential surface thereof,
Furthermore, a specific gap is formed as a relief for accommodating a part of the seal member that is elastically deformed by pressure when the thermostat device is installed in the cooling circuit.
A thermostat device comprising: The gap is formed between an outer circumferential edge of the flange and a bottom surface of the fitting groove.
2. The thermostat device according to claim 1. A plurality of the outward projections are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the seal member,
A notch is provided on a part of an outer circumferential edge of the flange,
The gap is formed between an outer periphery of the cutout portion of the flange and a bottom surface of the fitting groove portion,
The notch is provided in accordance with the position of the outward protrusion.
2. The thermostat device according to claim 1. the adjacent outward projections are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the seal member so as to be distributed toward the cover member side and the housing side when the flange is sandwiched between the cover member and the housing;
4. The thermostat device according to claim 3. In the case where the flange is provided with a jiggle valve which is an auxiliary valve,
The seal member has a positioning mark on its inner circumferential surface,
The positioning mark portion is provided so that the positions of the notch portion and the outward protrusion coincide with each other when the seal member is fitted based on the position of the jiggle valve.
4. The thermostat device according to claim 3. A plurality of the outward projections are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the seal member,
Furthermore, a plurality of ribs are provided on a bottom surface of the fitting groove, the ribs being brought into contact with an outer periphery of the outer periphery of the flange when the outer periphery of the flange is fitted into the seal member,
The gap is formed between an outer peripheral edge of the flange and a bottom surface of the fitting groove other than the rib.
2. The thermostat device according to claim 1. The rib is positioned offset from the position of the outward protrusion.
7. A thermostat device according to claim 6. The rib is disposed in alignment with the outward protrusion.
7. A thermostat device according to claim 6. The seal member is provided with an escape groove intermittently as the gap,
Each of the relief grooves is provided in one of two opposing surfaces formed from an outer circumferential edge toward an inner circumferential edge of the seal member.
2. The thermostat device according to claim 1. A plurality of the outward projections are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the seal member,
The relief groove is provided around the outward protrusion.
10. A thermostat device according to claim 9. Adjacent relief grooves are provided on different surfaces.
11. A thermostat device according to claim 9 or 10.

Images