Engine cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10287968-B2
Application number	US-201615264309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2016
Priority date	Sep 16, 2015
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

An engine cooling system includes a coolant circuit, a multi-way valve, a relief route and a relief valve. The coolant circuit includes a first route and a second route into which the coolant circuit is branched off at a branched position. The first route passes through a radiator. The multi-way valve is provided at the branched position. The relief route sets a relief source to a portion downstream of a pump and upstream of the multi-way valve in the coolant circuit, sets a relief destination to a portion downstream of the radiator in the first route, and causes coolant to flow from the relief source to the relief destination so as to bypass the multi-way valve. The relief valve interrupts circulation of coolant through the relief route when the relief valve is closed, and permits circulation of coolant through the relief route when the relief valve is open.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine cooling system comprising:
a coolant circuit through which coolant flows from a pump, passes through an inside of an engine and returns to the pump, the coolant circuit including a first route and a second route into which the coolant circuit is branched off at a branched position downstream of the inside of the engine, each of the first route and the second route being connected to the pump, the first route being a radiator route that passes through a radiator;
a multi-way valve that is provided at the branched position at which the coolant circuit is branched off into the first route and the second route and that is able to vary a flow rate ratio of coolant flowing into each of the first and second routes, the multi-way valve including an inflow port and a relief port;
a relief route that sets a relief source to a portion downstream of the pump and upstream of the multi-way valve in the coolant circuit, that sets a relief destination to a portion downstream of the multi-way valve and upstream of the pump in the coolant circuit, and that causes coolant to flow from the relief source to the relief destination so as to bypass the multi-way valve; and
a relief valve that interrupts circulation of coolant through the relief route when the relief valve is closed, and that permits circulation of coolant through the relief route when the relief valve is open, wherein
the relief destination is set to a portion downstream of the multi-way valve and upstream of the pump in the coolant circuit and other than a portion upstream of the radiator in the radiator route,
the coolant that has flowed through the relief valve flows to the relief route, and
the relief valve is installed at the relief port and is provided so as to be open to the inflow port.

2. The engine cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the relief valve is incorporated in the multi-way valve.

3. The engine cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein
the second route merges into the first route at a portion downstream of the radiator and upstream of the pump, and
the relief route sets the second route for the relief destination, and causes coolant to flow from the relief source to the relief destination so as to bypass the multi-way valve.

4. The engine cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the multi-way valve further includes a first discharge port and a second discharge port, the multi-way valve comprising:
a housing, the housing including a main body, a first connector portion provided on a first side of the main body, and a second connector portion provided on a second side of the main body, the first connector portion being connected to the first route and the relief route, and a second connector portion being connected to the second route, and
a valve element which is rotatable and accommodated at a lower portion of the main body, the valve element varying opening areas of the first discharge port and the second discharge port, the valve element presenting a hollow structure with an opening in fluid communication with the inflow port and including upper and lower barrel-shaped portions, the upper portion including a first hole which communicates with the first port in a first valve phase range, the lower portion including a second hole which communicates with the second port in a second valve phase range, and wherein the relief valve is installed at the relief port and is provided so as to be open to the inflow port without intervening in an accommodation space for the valve element.

5. The engine cooling system according to claim 4 , wherein a groove is provided in an upper face of the valve element, and a portion of the upper face of the valve element does not include the groove.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kaneko Rihito
• Takagi Noboru
• Takagi Isao
• Kawamoto Naoya
• Kimura Kenji
• YUMI Shinji

Classifications

• F01P11/18 Primary

  concerning coolant pressure, coolant flow, or liquid-coolant level · CPC title

• F01P7/14

  the coolant being liquid · CPC title

• F01P7/165 Primary

  characterised by systems with two or more loops · CPC title

• F01P2007/146

  using valves · CPC title