Cooler apparatus and control method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9581076-B2
Application number	US-201314397885-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2013
Priority date	Nov 20, 2012
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A cooler apparatus includes: a coolant passageway; a water pump that circulates coolant in the coolant passageway; a thermostat that includes a heater that heats a temperature sensitive portion; and a controller. The controller is configured to drive the water pump and cause electric current to flow through the heater at a first energization amount when an operation in which the coolant is injected into the coolant passageway is started. The controller is also configured to stop electric current to flow through the heater if the water pump races when the electric current flows through the heater at the first energization amount.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cooler apparatus comprising:
a coolant passageway;
a water pump configured to circulate coolant in the coolant passageway;
a thermostat including a heater that heats a temperature sensitive portion; and a controller configured to drive the water pump and cause electric current to flow through the heater at a first energization amount when an operation in which the coolant is injected into the coolant passageway is started,
the controller being configured to stop the electric current to flow through the heater when the water pump races while the electric current flows through the heater at the first energization amount.

2. The cooler apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller outputs a warning indicating that the coolant in the coolant passageway is insufficient in amount, when the water pump races while the electric current flows through the heater at the first energization amount.

3. The cooler apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller causes the electric current to flow through the heater at a second energization amount that is greater than the first energization amount, when the water pump is not racing while the electric current flows through the heater at the first energization amount.

4. The cooler apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller stops the electric current to flow through the heater in a case that the water pump races after elapse of a predetermined time from a time when the electric current starts to flow through the heater at the first energization amount.

5. The cooler apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a radiator provided on the coolant passageway, wherein
a predetermined time is a time that is required in order for the coolant passageway to be filled with the coolant when the coolant is injected into the coolant passageway via a filling port of the radiator while water pump is being driven.

6. The cooler apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a maintenance-purpose tool configured to input a signal to the controller, the signal indicating that the operation in which the coolant is injected into the coolant passageway has started, wherein
when the signal is input to the controller from the maintenance-purpose tool, the controller determines that the operation in which the coolant is injected into the coolant passageway has started.

7. The cooler apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor configured to detect rotation speed of the water pump, wherein
the controller determines that the water pump is racing, when the rotation speed detected by the sensor is higher than a target rotation speed of the water pump.

8. A control method for a cooler apparatus including a coolant passageway, a water pump configured to circulate coolant in the coolant passageway, and a thermostat having a heater that heats a temperature sensitive portion, the control method comprising:
driving the water pump and causing electric current to flow through the heater at a first energization amount when an operation in which the coolant is injected into the coolant passageway is started; and
stopping the electric current to flow through the heater when the water pump races while the electric current flows through the heater at the first energization amount.

Assignees

• Mushiga Kentaro
• Shintani Osamu
• Ikoma Takuya
• Handa Hideyuki
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mushiga Kentaro
• Shintani Osamu
• Ikoma Takuya
• Handa Hideyuki

Classifications

• F01P7/16

  by thermostatic control · CPC title

• F01P2070/04

  using electrical heating elements · CPC title

• F01P11/0204 Primary

  Filling · CPC title

• F01P11/02

  Liquid-coolant {filling}, overflow, venting, or draining devices (automatic draining during freezing conditions F01P11/20) · CPC title

• F01P2005/125

  Driving auxiliary pumps electrically · CPC title