Charge air cooler fan control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11073074-B1
Application number	US-202016854006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 21, 2020
Priority date	Apr 21, 2020
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A work vehicle includes an engine, a compressor used to compress an air toward the engine, a charge air cooler, a sensor, and a control unit. The charge air cooler comprising or coupled to a fan. The fan can rotate in a first direction to remove a heat of the air and to rotate in a second direction reverse to the first direction so as to blow a debris. The control unit is electrically coupled to the engine and to the fan. The control unit predicts whether a temperature of the air exceeds a threshold based on a signal received from the sensor. When the temperature of the air is below the threshold, the fan can rotate in the second direction. When the temperature of the air is equal to or above the threshold, the fan is inhibited from rotating in the second direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A work vehicle, comprising:
an engine;
a compressor configured to compress an air toward the engine;
a charge air cooler coupled to the engine and to the compressor, the charge air cooler comprising or coupled to a fan, the fan configured to rotate in a first direction so as to remove a heat of the air passing through the charge air cooler and configured to rotate in a second direction reverse to the first direction so as to blow a debris accumulated on or adjacent to the charge air cooler;
a sensor configured to detect an activation of a utility tool to transmit a signal; and
a control unit electrically coupled to the engine and to the fan, the control unit configured to predict whether a temperature of the air exceeds a threshold based on the signal received from the sensor, and when the temperature of the air is below the threshold, the fan is allowed to rotate in the second direction and when the temperature of the air is equal to or above the threshold, the fan is inhibited from rotating in the second direction.

2. The work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control unit includes at least one of an electronic control unit, an engine control unit, and a transmission control unit.

3. The work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein when the work vehicle is a crop harvester, the activation of the utility tool includes an activation of an auger.

4. The work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein when the work vehicle is a feller buncher, the activation of the utility tool includes an engagement of felling head.

5. The work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein when the work vehicle is a tractor, the activation of the utility tool includes an engagement of a power take-off shaft.

6. The work vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is coupled to the sensor via a controller area network.

7. A method for controlling a fan coupled to or comprised by a charge air cooler of a work vehicle, the charge air cooler coupled to an engine and to a compressor, the compressor compressing an air toward the engine, the method comprising:
cooling the charge air cooler by the fan rotating in a first direction;
detecting an activation of a utility tool by a sensor;
predicting whether a temperature of the air exceeds a threshold based on a signal from the sensor by a control unit;
allowing the fan to rotate in a second direction reverse to the first direction so as to blow a debris accumulated on or adjacent to the charge air cooler when the temperature of the air is below the threshold; and
inhibiting the fan from rotating in the second direction when the temperature of the air is equal to or above the threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein when the work vehicle is a crop harvester, the activation of the utility tool includes an activation of an auger.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein when the work vehicle is a feller buncher, the activation of the utility tool includes an engagement of felling head.

10. The method of 12 , wherein when the work vehicle is a tractor, the activation of the utility tool includes an engagement of a power take-off shaft.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the signal from the sensor is received by the control unit via controller area network.

12. A method for controlling a fan coupled to or comprised by a charge air cooler of a work vehicle, the charge air cooler coupled to an engine and to a compressor, the compressor compressing an air toward the engine, the method comprising:
cooling the charge air cooler by the fan rotating in a first direction;
detecting at least one of properties of a driveline component and an activation of a utility tool by a sensor;
predicting whether a temperature of the air exceeds a threshold based on a signal from the sensor by a control unit;
allowing the fan to rotate in a second direction reverse to the first direction so as to blow a debris accumulated on or adjacent to the charge air cooler when the temperature of the air is below the threshold; and
inhibiting the fan from rotating in the second direction when the temperature of the air is equal to or above the threshold; wherein inhibiting the fan from rotating in the second direction is performed when a time of the temperature of the air below the threshold shorter than a pre-set time frame.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Kennedy Thomas L
• Sass Steven R
• Ritter Mark

Classifications

• F01P7/026 Primary

  Thermostatic control · CPC title

• F02B29/0431

  Details or means to guide the ambient air to the heat exchanger, e.g. having a fan, flaps, a bypass or a special location in the engine compartment · CPC title

• F02B29/0406 Primary

  Layout of the intake air cooling or coolant circuit · CPC title

• F04D27/008

  Stop safety or alarm devices, e.g. stop-and-go control; Disposition of check-valves · CPC title

• F04D27/004

  by varying driving speed · CPC title