Engine cooling device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10125662-B2
Application number	US-201615278965-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2016
Priority date	Dec 7, 2015
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

An engine cooling device for a vehicle of the present invention includes: an engine cooling circuit that circulates a cooling liquid to an engine and a heat exchanger; a reservoir tank that is connected to the engine cooling circuit, and that stores the cooling liquid to absorb pressure changes within the engine cooling circuit; at least one or more cooling liquid circulating circuits that circulates the cooling liquid to devices installed in the vehicle; a switching section that selectively switches between either of a communicating state of communicating the engine cooling circuit and the cooling liquid circulating circuit, and a cut-off state of cutting-off the engine cooling circuit and the cooling liquid circulating circuit; and a control section that, in a case in which an ignition switch is turned off, controls the switching section such that the communicating state is set.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine cooling device for a vehicle comprising:
an engine cooling circuit that circulates a cooling liquid to an engine and a heat exchanger;
a reservoir tank that is connected to the engine cooling circuit, and that stores the cooling liquid to absorb pressure changes within the engine cooling circuit;
at least one or more cooling liquid circulating circuits that circulates the cooling liquid to devices installed in the vehicle;
a switch that selectively switches between either of a communicating state of communicating the engine cooling circuit and the cooling liquid circulating circuit, and a cut-off state of cutting-off the engine cooling circuit and the cooling liquid circulating circuit; and
a controller that, in a case in which an ignition switch is turned off, controls the switch such that the communicating state is set, wherein
in the cut-off state, each of the cooling liquid circulating circuits circulates the cooling liquid within the each of the cooling liquid circulating circuits and the cooling liquid is kept from reaching the engine and the heat exchanger in the engine cooling circuit.

2. The engine cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the switch such that the communicating state is set, in at least one of a case in which the ignition switch is turned off and a temperature of the cooling liquid is detected to be lower than a predetermined liquid temperature threshold value, and a case in which the ignition switch is turned off and an outside air temperature is detected to be lower than a predetermined outside air temperature threshold value.

3. The engine cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump that circulates the cooling liquid,
wherein, in a case in which the ignition switch is turned off, the controller controls the switch such that the communicating state is set, and controls the pump such that the cooling liquid is circulated until a temperature of the cooling liquid becomes a predetermined stable state.

4. The engine cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, in a case in which the ignition switch is turned on, the controller further controls the switch to maintain the communicating state until non-freezing of the cooling liquid is detected.

5. The engine cooling device for a vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the non-freezing of the cooling liquid is detected on the basis of an outside air temperature, a temperature of the cooling liquid, or a driven amount at a time of driving a pump that circulates the cooling liquid.

6. The engine cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein
two of the cooling liquid circulating circuits are provided, and
one of the cooling liquid circulating circuits has a battery temperature adjustment portion on a circulation path of the cooling liquid, and is connected to the other of the cooling liquid circulating circuits via a second switch.

7. The engine cooling device for a vehicle of claim 6 , wherein
the one of the cooling liquid circulating circuits has a communication path that is connected to a water pump and to the other of the cooling liquid circulating circuits, and that adjusts pressure, and
the other of the cooling liquid circulating circuits has an EGR cooler.

8. The engine cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein
three of the cooling liquid circulating circuits are provided, and
a first of the cooling liquid circulating circuits has a transmission temperature adjustment portion of the vehicle on a circulation path of the cooling liquid, and is connected to a second of the cooling liquid circulating circuits via a second switch, and
a third of the cooling liquid circulating circuits has a second heat exchanger, that is provided on a circulation path of the cooling liquid at a windward side of the heat exchanger, and is connected to the first of the cooling liquid circulating circuits via a third switch.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Onishi Yoichi
• Kakehashi Nobuharu

Classifications

• B60H1/08

  from other radiator than main radiator · CPC title

• F01P2025/32

  Engine outcoming fluid temperature · CPC title

• F01P2005/105

  Using two or more pumps · CPC title

• F01P2007/146

  using valves · CPC title

• F01P11/20

  concerning atmospheric freezing conditions, e.g. automatically draining or heating during frosty weather · CPC title