Vehicle thermal management flow control assembly and flow control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10889204-B2
Application number	US-201816193174-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

An exemplary vehicle assembly includes, among other things, an inlet duct that opens to a duct opening within a side of a cargo bed. The inlet duct is configured to communicate a flow of air to a heat exchange module that manages thermal energy levels of a traction battery. A flow control structure is moved relative to the duct opening to selectively restrict or permit the flow of air entering the inlet duct through the duct opening. A flow control method includes, among other things, selectively blocking at least a portion of a duct opening to adjust a flow of air moved through the duct opening into an inlet duct. To manage thermal energy within a traction battery, the method further includes exchanging thermal energy between the air and another fluid at a heat exchange module that is disposed within a chamber of a cargo bed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow control assembly, comprising:
an inlet duct that opens to a duct opening within a side of a cargo bed, the inlet duct configured to communicate a flow of air to a heat exchange module that manages thermal energy levels of a traction battery; and
a flow control structure that is moved relative to the duct opening to selectively restrict or permit the flow of air entering the inlet duct through the duct opening.

2. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flow control structure comprises at least one louver moveable back and forth between a first position that permits more flow through the duct opening into the inlet duct and a second position that permits less flow through the duct opening into the inlet duct.

3. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the side is a horizontally facing side, wherein the cargo bed is a cargo bed of a pickup truck and is outside a passenger cabin of the pickup truck.

4. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the duct opening is disposed forward a wheel well of a pickup truck having the cargo bed and aft of a passenger cabin of the pickup truck.

5. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flow control structure is the side of the cargo bed.

6. The flow control assembly of claim 5 , wherein the inlet duct is moveable back and forth between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the side,
when the inlet duct is in the extended position, the duct opening projects from the side to permit a first amount of the flow to enter the inlet duct through the duct opening,
when the inlet duct is in the retracted position, the duct opening is at least partially retracted behind the side to permit a second amount of the flow to enter the inlet duct, the second amount less than the first amount.

7. The flow control assembly of claim 6 , wherein, when the inlet duct is in the retracted position, the inlet duct opening is fully retracted behind the side such that the second amount of the flow is nominally no flow.

8. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flow control structure comprises at least one flap that is moveable between a first position that permits a first amount of the flow through the duct opening and a second position that permits a second amount of flow through the duct opening, the second amount less than the first amount.

9. The flow control assembly of claim 8 , wherein the at least one flap in the first position projects outward from the side, and the at least one flap in the second position is substantially flush with the side.

10. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the duct opening comprises a plurality of individual duct openings spaced from each other along a longitudinal axis of the cargo bed, wherein the flow control structure comprises at least one flap associated with each of the individual duct openings, the at least one flaps each moveable between a first position that permits a first amount of the flow through the duct opening and a second position that permits a second amount of flow through the duct opening, the second amount less than the first amount.

11. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inlet duct is a driver side inlet duct, the side is a driver side of a vehicle having the cargo bed, and further comprising a passenger side inlet duct that that selectively conveys a flow of air to a heat exchange module that manages thermal energy levels of a traction battery.

12. The flow control assembly of claim 1 , further comprising the heat exchange module disposed within a chamber between inner and outer panels of the cargo bed.

13. The flow control assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a fan that communicates a flow of air through the heat exchange module, the fan disposed within the chamber.

14. The flow control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the chamber is a first chamber on a driver side of the vehicle and the heat exchange module is a first heat exchange module, the vehicle further including a second heat exchange module disposed within a second chamber between inner and outer panels of the cargo bed on a passenger side of the vehicle.

15. A flow control method, comprising:
selectively blocking at least a portion of a duct opening to adjust a flow of air moved through the duct opening into an inlet duct; and
to manage thermal energy within a traction battery, exchanging thermal energy between the air and another fluid at a heat exchange module that is disposed within a chamber of a cargo bed, wherein the chamber is forward of a wheel well and both aft and outside of a passenger cabin.

16. The flow control method of claim 15 , wherein the chamber is between inner and outer panels of the cargo bed.

17. The flow control method of claim 15 , further comprising extending the duct opening away from a side of the cargo bed to permit a first amount of air to flow through the inlet duct, and retracting the duct opening at least partially behind the side to permit a second amount of air to flow the inlet duct, the first amount more than the second amount.

18. The flow control method of claim 15 , further comprising moving at least one flap between a first position that permits a first amount of the flow through the inlet duct and a second position that permits a second amount of flow through the inlet duct, the second amount less than the first amount.

19. A flow control assembly, comprising:
a cargo bed of a pickup truck, the cargo bed entirely aft a passenger cabin of the pickup truck;
a heat exchange module that manages thermal energy levels of a traction battery, the heat exchange module disposed within a chamber of a sidewall of the cargo bed, the chamber between an inner panel and an outer panel of the sidewall;
an inlet duct that opens to a duct opening within a horizontally facing side of a cargo bed, the duct opening disposed forward a wheel well of pickup truck and aft of the passenger cabin of the pickup truck, the inlet duct configured to communicate a flow of air to the heat exchange module; and
a flow control structure that is moved relative to the duct opening to selectively restrict or permit the flow of air entering the inlet duct through the duct opening.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Billimoria Erik
• Pien Stephen
• Samyn Andrew Charles

Classifications

• B60K11/02

  with liquid cooling · CPC title

• B60K11/085

  with adjustable shutters or blinds · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

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

• Y02T10/88

  Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses · CPC title

• B60Y2200/141

  Light trucks · CPC title