Vehicle component cooling through directed HVAC cooling and operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10889162-B2
Application number	US-201816168789-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2018
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

Abstract

A system for vehicle component cooling includes a main body defining a passenger compartment to support passengers of the vehicle. The system also includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit to output conditioned air into the passenger compartment. The system also includes a vehicle component to generate heat and having a component temperature. The system also includes a cooling channel having an inlet located in the passenger compartment and an outlet to output the conditioned air from the passenger compartment towards the vehicle component. The system also includes at least one sensor to detect data corresponding to the component temperature of the vehicle component. The system also includes an electronic control unit (ECU) to control the HVAC unit to increase or decrease a cabin temperature to adjust the component temperature based on the detected data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for vehicle component cooling in a vehicle, comprising:
a main body defining a passenger compartment configured to support passengers of the vehicle;
a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit located upstream from the passenger compartment and configured to output conditioned air into the passenger compartment;
a vehicle component configured to generate heat and having a component temperature;
a cooling channel located downstream from the HVAC unit and having an inlet located in the passenger compartment such that the passenger compartment is located upstream from the cooling channel and an outlet configured to output the conditioned air from the passenger compartment towards the vehicle component;
at least one sensor configured to detect data corresponding to the component temperature of the vehicle component; and
an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the HVAC unit, the vehicle component, and the at least one sensor, and configured to control the HVAC unit to increase or decrease a cabin temperature to adjust the component temperature based on the detected data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the ECU is further configured to determine a component parameter corresponding to the component temperature, and to further control the HVAC unit to increase or decrease the cabin temperature based on the component parameter.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the ECU is further configured to increase a counter when the detected data reaches or exceeds a detected data threshold, to increase the counter when the determined component parameter reaches or exceeds a determined parameter threshold, and to control the HVAC unit to decrease the cabin temperature based on a value of the counter.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the ECU is further configured to set a component temperature reduction flag when at least one of the detected data reaches or exceeds a detected data threshold or the determined component parameter reaches or exceeds a determined parameter threshold, and to control the HVAC unit to decrease the cabin temperature when the component temperature reduction flag is set.

5. The system of claim 2 further comprising a fan configured to direct the conditioned air over the vehicle component, wherein the determined component parameter includes at least one of a speed of the fan, a state of charge (SOC) of a battery, a vehicle mode of the vehicle, or a calculated component temperature of the vehicle component.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the detected data includes at least one of an inlet temperature at the inlet, the component temperature, or an ambient temperature.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the HVAC unit is configured to operate in any of a plurality of modes of operation, and the ECU is configured to control the HVAC unit to increase or decrease the cabin temperature by at least one of changing a mode of operation of the HVAC unit, adjusting a fan speed of the HVAC unit, adjusting a temperature of the conditioned air, or selecting at least one of front or rear blowers for the conditioned air to flow through.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the inlet is configured to receive the conditioned air from the passenger compartment.

9. A system for vehicle battery cooling in a vehicle, comprising:
a main body defining a passenger compartment configured to support passengers of the vehicle;
a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit located upstream from the passenger compartment and configured to output conditioned air into the passenger compartment;
a battery configured to store electrical energy and having a battery temperature;
a cooling channel located downstream from the HVAC unit and having an inlet located in the passenger compartment such that the passenger compartment is located upstream from the cooling channel and an outlet configured to output the conditioned air from the passenger compartment towards the battery; and
an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the HVAC unit and the battery, and configured to determine a battery parameter corresponding to the battery temperature and to control the HVAC unit to increase or decrease a cabin temperature to adjust the battery temperature based on the determined battery parameter.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the battery parameter includes multiple battery parameters that each correspond to the battery temperature, and the ECU is further configured to increase a counter any one of the multiple battery parameters reach or exceed corresponding determined parameter thresholds, and to control the HVAC unit to decrease the cabin temperature based on a value of the counter.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the ECU is further configured to set a battery temperature reduction flag when the battery parameter reaches or exceeds a determined parameter threshold, and to control the HVAC unit to decrease the cabin temperature when the battery temperature reduction flag is set.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising a fan configured to direct the conditioned air over the battery, wherein the determined battery parameter includes at least one of a speed of the fan, the SOC of the battery, a vehicle mode of the vehicle, or a calculated battery temperature of the battery.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the HVAC unit is configured to operate in any of a plurality of modes of operation, and the ECU is configured to control the HVAC unit to increase or decrease the cabin temperature by at least one of changing a mode of operation of the HVAC unit, adjusting a fan speed of the HVAC unit, adjusting a temperature of the conditioned air, or selecting at least one of front or rear blowers for the conditioned air to flow through.

14. A method for vehicle component cooling in a vehicle, comprising:
outputting, by a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, conditioned air into a passenger compartment of the vehicle the HVAC unit being located upstream from the passenger compartment;
receiving or outputting, by a vehicle component having a component temperature, electrical energy;
directing, by a fan, the conditioned air from the passenger compartment through a cooling channel towards the vehicle component, the cooling channel being located downstream from the HVAC unit, and the passenger compartment being located upstream from the cooling channel;
detecting, by a sensor, data corresponding to the component temperature of the vehicle component; and
controlling, by an electronic control unit (ECU), the HVAC unit to increase or decrease a cabin temperature to adjust the component temperature based on the detected data.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
determining, by the ECU, a component parameter corresponding to the component temperature; and
controlling, by the ECU, the HVAC unit to increase or decrease the cabin temperature further based on the component parameter.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
increasing, by the ECU, a counter when the detected data reaches or exceeds a detected data threshold;
increasing, by the ECU, the counter when the determined component parameter reaches or exceeds a determined parameter threshold; and
controlling, by the ECU, the HVAC unit to decrease the cabin temperature based on a value of the counter.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
setting, by the ECU, a component temperature reduction flag when at least one of the detected data reaches or exceeds a detected data threshold or the determined component parameter reaches or exceeds a determined par

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Cosgrove David W
• Hirabayashi Hidekazu

Classifications

• B60H1/00278

  for the battery · CPC title

• B60L58/26

  by cooling · CPC title

• B60H2001/003

  Component temperature regulation using an air flow · CPC title

• B60K11/06

  with air cooling · CPC title

• H01M10/63

  Control systems (charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 {, H01M10/443}; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 {, H01M10/486}) · CPC title