Patent ID: 6976505

Claim:
A valve control system for distributing and regulating the flow of coolant issuing from a water pump to a radiator, a bypass line and a heater comprising: a valve housing having ports formed therein including an inlet port configured to receive coolant issuing from a water pump, a first outlet port configured to direct coolant to a radiator, a second outlet port configured to direct coolant to a bypass line and a third outlet port configured to direct coolant to a heater; a valve rotor, rotatably disposed within the valve housing, wherein the valve rotor including a first valve portion with a first internal fluid passage arrangement with at least two first openings and a second valve portion with a second internal fluid passage arrangement with at least two second openings, the first internal fluid passage arrangement and the second internal fluid passage arrangement being in fluid communication with each other, the first internal fluid passage arrangement to provide fluid communication between the first inlet port and the first outlet port and between the first inlet port and the second internal fluid passage arrangement, the second fluid internal passage arrangement to provide fluid communication between the inlet port and at least one of the second outlet port and the third outlet port; a drive mechanism that is operatively connected to the valve rotor for moving the valve rotor into at least one preselected rotational orientation; and a processor that is operatively connected to the drive mechanism to selectively rotate the valve rotor.