초록 ▼

The present invention is an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve for an engine having an exhaust gas recirculation cooler operable for receiving exhaust gas from an exhaust, and delivering the exhaust gas to an intake. The present invention also includes an exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage

The present invention is an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve for an engine having an exhaust gas recirculation cooler operable for receiving exhaust gas from an exhaust, and delivering the exhaust gas to an intake. The present invention also includes an exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage operable for receiving exhaust gas from an exhaust, bypassing the exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and delivering the exhaust gas to an intake, as well as a single valve operably associated with the exhaust gas recirculation cooler and the exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. The single valve is selectively operable for opening or closing flow from the exhaust to the exhaust gas recirculation cooler, the exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, or both, the single valve also operable for metering flow therebetween.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for directing exhaust gas through an exhaust gas recirculation system, comprising the steps of: providing an engine having an intake, and an exhaust; providing an exhaust gas recirculation passage, an exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and an exhaust gas recirculation

What is claimed is: 1. A method for directing exhaust gas through an exhaust gas recirculation system, comprising the steps of: providing an engine having an intake, and an exhaust; providing an exhaust gas recirculation passage, an exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and an exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage; providing a single valve operably associated with said exhaust gas recirculation passage, said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage; providing said single valve with a housing; providing said single valve with a solid semi-circular disc positioned in said housing; actuating the single valve to direct the flow of exhaust gas from said exhaust gas recirculation passage exclusively through said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage; actuating said single valve to direct the flow of exhaust gas from said exhaust gas recirculation passage exclusively through said exhaust gas recirculation cooler; actuating said single valve to simultaneously prevent the flow of exhaust gas from said exhaust gas recirculation passage through both of said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage and said exhaust gas recirculation cooler; actuating said single valve to direct the flow of exhaust gas from said exhaust gas recirculation passage partially through said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage or partially through said exhaust gas recirculation cooler; and rotating said solid semi-circular disc in said housing to direct exhaust gas to flow through said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and block the flow of exhaust gas to said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: rotating said solid semi-circular disc in said housing to direct exhaust gas to flow through said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, and block the flow of exhaust gas to said exhaust gas recirculation cooler; rotating said solid semi-circular disc in said housing to direct exhaust gas to flow through both said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, and said exhaust gas recirculation cooler; and rotating said solid semi-circular disc in said housing to block the flow of exhaust gas to both said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, and said exhaust gas recirculation cooler. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling the temperature of exhaust gas by using said single valve to direct exhaust gas to either said exhaust gas recirculation cooler or said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of controlling the intake manifold temperature by using said single valve to direct exhaust gas flow through either exhaust gas recirculation cooler or said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 5. An exhaust gas valve assembly for an engine having an exhaust and an intake, comprising: an exhaust gas recirculation passage for receiving exhaust gas from said exhaust manifold, an exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, and an exhaust gas recirculation cooler; an exhaust gas valve operably associated with said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage and said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, wherein said exhaust gas valve includes a semi-circular disc that rotates to control the flow of exhaust gas; and an actuator for operating said exhaust gas valve; wherein said actuator controls said exhaust gas valve to direct exhaust gas exclusively through said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, said actuator controls said exhaust gas valve to direct exhaust gas exclusively through said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, said actuator controls said exhaust gas valve to direct exhaust gas simultaneously through both said exhaust gas recirculation cooler and said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, and said actuator controls said exhaust gas valve to simultaneously prevent exhaust gas flow through both of said exhaust gas recirculation cooler and said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 6. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 5, further comprising: a turbocharger unit having a turbine and a compressor operably associated with said engine; and wherein said exhaust gas recirculation passage, said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, and said exhaust gas recirculation cooler form a high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation loop located upstream of said turbine and downstream of said compressor. 7. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 5, wherein exhaust gas exits said exhaust gas recirculation cooler and said exhaust gas bypass passage downstream of a compressor for a turbocharger unit, allowing said single valve to control the temperature of air introduced into said intake by directing exhaust gas to either said exhaust gas recirculation cooler or said exhaust gas bypass passage. 8. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 5, wherein said exhaust gas valve closes off exhaust flow to said exhaust gas recirculation cooler and said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 9. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 5, wherein said exhaust gas valve partially closes off exhaust flow to said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, or partially blocks off exhaust flow to said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 10. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 5, wherein said exhaust gas valve controls the temperature of exhaust gas input into the intake by directing exhaust gas to either said exhaust gas recirculation cooler or said exhaust gas bypass passage. 11. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 5, wherein said exhaust gas valve is integrated with said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and integrated with said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 12. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 5, wherein said exhaust gas valve is integrated with said exhaust gas recirculation passage, and integrated with said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 13. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 5, wherein said valve is integrated into said turbine, and integrated with said exhaust gas recirculation passage. 14. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 5, further comprising a flow control valve for controlling the amount of exhaust gas flow. 15. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 14, wherein said flow control valve is located upstream of said exhaust gas valve. 16. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 15, wherein said flow control valve is located downstream of said exhaust gas recirculation cooler and said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 17. An exhaust gas valve assembly for an engine having an intake and an exhaust, comprising: an exhaust gas recirculation cooler operable for receiving exhaust gas from the exhaust, and delivering said exhaust gas to the intake; an exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage operable for receiving exhaust gas from the exhaust, bypassing said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and delivering said exhaust gas to the intake; a single valve operably associated with said exhaust gas recirculation cooler and said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, said single valve being selectively operable for opening and closing flow from said exhaust to said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, said single valve also being operable for opening and closing flow from said exhaust to said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, and said single valve being operable for prohibiting flow to both said exhaust gas recirculation cooler and said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, said single valve also operable for metering flow therebetween; and said single valve having a housing, and a solid semi-circular disc located inside said housing, wherein said semi-circular disc is rotated inside said housing controlling the flow of exhaust gas. 18. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 17, further comprising: a turbocharger unit which includes a turbine and a compressor, operably associated with an engine; and exhaust gas recirculation passage; and wherein said exhaust gas recirculation passage, said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, form a high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation loop. 19. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 18, wherein said high-pressure exhaust gas recirculation loop is located upstream from said turbine, and downstream from said compressor. 20. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 18, wherein said single valve is integrated with said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, and integrated with said turbine. 21. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 18, wherein said single valve is integrated with said exhaust gas recirculation passage upstream of said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and integrated with said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage. 22. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 17, wherein exhaust gas exits said exhaust gas recirculation cooler and said exhaust gas bypass passage upstream of a compressor for a turbocharger unit, allowing said single valve to control the temperature of air introduced into said compressor by directing exhaust gas to either said exhaust gas recirculation cooler or said exhaust gas bypass passage. 23. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 17, wherein said single valve is integrated with said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, and said exhaust gas recirculation passage. 24. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 17, further comprising an actuator for actuating said single valve to selectively direct the flow of exhaust gas through either exclusively said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, exclusively said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, simultaneously through said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage and said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, or for preventing the flow of exhaust gas through both said exhaust gas recirculation passage and said exhaust gas recirculation cooler. 25. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 17, wherein said single valve directs the flow of exhaust gas through said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, or into said exhaust gas recirculation bypass passage, bypassing said exhaust gas recirculation cooler, any variation therebetween, or for preventing the flow of exhaust gas through both said exhaust gas recirculation passage and said exhaust gas recirculation cooler. 26. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 17, wherein said single valve controls the temperature of exhaust gas introduced into the intake by directing exhaust gas to either said exhaust gas recirculation cooler or said exhaust gas bypass passage. 27. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 17, further comprising a flow control valve for controlling the amount of exhaust gas flow between the exhaust and the intake. 28. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 27, wherein said flow control valve is placed in a location selected from the group comprising upstream of said single valve, or downstream of said single valve. 29. The exhaust gas valve assembly of claim 27, wherein said flow control valve and said single valve are integrated into a single housing.