Cooling apparatus for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10773569-B2
Application number	US-201715631524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2017
Priority date	Sep 9, 2016
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A cooling apparatus for vehicle includes a radiator, a coolant pump, a cooling fan, first and second mode controllers, and an abnormality diagnosing controller. The radiator cools a coolant that circulates through a circulation flow channel of a cooling system. The coolant pump causes the coolant to circulate through the circulation flow channel. The cooling fan faces the radiator. The first mode controller initiates a first operation mode process upon diagnosing an abnormality of the cooling system. The first operation mode process stops the coolant pump and drives the cooling fan. The second mode controller initiates a second operation mode process after completion of the first operation mode process. The second operation mode process stops the cooling fan and drives the coolant pump. The abnormality diagnosing controller diagnoses, based on a temperature of the radiator, the abnormality of the cooling system after the initiation of the second operation mode process.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cooling apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus including a cooling system configured to cool a heat-generating component, the apparatus comprising:
a radiator that is provided in a circulation flow channel of the cooling system, and configured to cool a coolant that circulates through the circulation flow channel;
a coolant pump that is provided in the circulation flow channel, and configured to cause the coolant to circulate through the circulation flow channel;
a cooling fan that faces the radiator, and is configured to generate cooling air;
a first mode controller configured to initiate a first operation mode process when diagnosing an abnormality of the cooling system, the first operation mode process stopping the coolant pump and driving the cooling fan;
a second mode controller configured to initiate a second operation mode process after completion of the first operation mode process, the second operation mode process stopping the cooling fan and driving the coolant pump; and
an abnormality diagnosing controller configured to diagnose, on a basis of a temperature of the radiator, the abnormality of the cooling system after the initiation of the second operation mode process, and wherein
the vehicle includes a start-up switch, and
the first mode controller initiates the first operation mode process when the start-up switch is turned off by an occupant of the vehicle.

2. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the abnormality diagnosing controller diagnoses the abnormality of the cooling system on a basis of a temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and a temperature of the heat-generating component.

3. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the abnormality diagnosing controller diagnoses the cooling system as abnormal when the temperature difference is greater than a diagnosis threshold.

4. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the first mode controller initiates the first operation mode process when a temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and a temperature of outside air or a temperature difference between the temperature of the heat-generating component and the temperature of the outside air is greater than a first threshold.

5. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the first mode controller initiates the first operation mode process when the temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and the temperature of the heat-generating component is less than a second threshold.

6. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 3 , wherein the second mode controller initiates the second operation mode process when the temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and the temperature of the heat-generating component is greater than a third threshold.

7. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the first mode controller initiates the first operation mode process when a temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and a temperature of outside air or a temperature difference between the temperature of the heat-generating component and the temperature of the outside air is greater than a first threshold.

8. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the first mode controller initiates the first operation mode process when the temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and the temperature of the heat-generating component is less than a second threshold.

9. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the second mode controller initiates the second operation mode process when the temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and the temperature of the heat-generating component is greater than a third threshold.

10. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first mode controller initiates the first operation mode process when a temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and a temperature of outside air or a temperature difference between a temperature of the heat-generating component and the temperature of the outside air is greater than a first threshold.

11. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first mode controller initiates the first operation mode process when a temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and a temperature of the heat-generating component is less than a second threshold.

12. The cooling apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the second mode controller initiates the second operation mode process when a temperature difference between the temperature of the radiator and a temperature of the heat-generating component is greater than a third threshold.

13. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first mode controller runs the fan for a predetermined period of time, and the second mode controller runs the cooling pump for a predetermined period of time.

14. The cooling apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising both a temperature sensor and a malfunction controller configured to determine whether a malfunction exists in the temperature sensor.

15. A cooling apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus including a cooling system that cools a heat-generating component, the apparatus comprising:
a radiator that is provided in a circulation flow channel of the cooling system, and configured to cool a coolant that circulates through the circulation flow channel;
a coolant pump that is provided in the circulation flow channel, and configured to cause the coolant to circulate through the circulation flow channel;
a cooling fan that faces the radiator, and is configured to generate cooling air; and
circuitry configured to
initiate a first operation mode process when diagnosing an abnormality of the cooling system, the first operation mode process stopping the coolant pump and driving the cooling fan,
initiate a second operation mode process after completion of the first operation mode process, the second operation mode process stopping the cooling fan and driving the coolant pump, and
diagnose, on a basis of a temperature of the radiator, the abnormality of the cooling system after the initiation of the second operation mode process, and wherein
the vehicle includes a start-up switch, and
the circuitry initiates the first operation mode process when the start-up switch is turned off by an occupant of the vehicle.

16. The cooling apparatus of claim 15 wherein the circuitry is configured such that the first mode controller runs the fan for a predetermined period of time and the second mode controller runs the cooling pump for a predetermined period of time.

17. A cooling apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus including a cooling system configured to cool a heat-generating component, the apparatus comprising:
a radiator that is provided in a circulation flow channel of the cooling system, and configured to cool a coolant that circulates through the circulation flow channel;
a coolant pump that is provided in the circulation flow channel, and configured to cause the coolant to circulate through the circulation flow channel;
a cooling fan that faces the radiator, and is configured to generate cooling air;
a first mode controller configured to initiate a first operation mode process which represents an initial stage in enabling a diagnosing of an abnormality of the cooling system

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Masuda Yo
• Takashima Takuya

Classifications

• H01M10/488

  Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density · CPC title

• H01M10/486

  for measuring temperature · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• B60L2240/662

  Temperature · CPC title