Regenerative braking power to operate vehicle electric heater

• US 10,036,288 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Leone, Thomas G., Miller, Kenneth James, Martin, Douglas Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNS, HILARY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US14/855,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20170074130A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/02 Dynamic electric resistor braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/001 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0413 Controlled cooling or heating of lubricant; Temperature control therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/947 Characterized by control of braking, e.g. blending of regeneration, friction braking

Abstract

A vehicle includes an electric machine configured to recharge a battery through regenerative braking, an electric heater configured to heat a powertrain lubricating oil, and a controller. The controller, in response to a temperature of the powertrain lubricating oil being less than a threshold, directs regenerative braking power to the electric heater.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an electric machine that recharges a battery through regenerative braking;

an electric heater configured to heat powertrain and engine oils, and engine coolant; and

a controller programmed to, in response to a temperature of the powertrain oil exceeding a threshold and a temperature of the engine coolant exceeding an engine coolant threshold, direct regenerative braking power to the electric heater to selectively heat the engine or powertrain oils.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the regenerative braking power directed to the electric heater is a portion of total regenerative braking power.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the powertrain oil is transmission oil.

4. A method of heating transmission oil in a hybrid vehicle comprising:

generating power with an electric machine via regenerative braking; and

directing the power from the electric machine to a heater in order to heat the transmission oil in response to a temperature of an engine coolant being greater than a threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the power directed to the heater is a portion of total regenerative braking power that exceeds a charging rate limit of a battery.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the threshold corresponds to a minimum coolant temperature required to maximize engine efficiency.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the threshold corresponds to a minimum coolant temperature required for an EV mode of operation.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the threshold corresponds to a reserve coolant temperature that exceeds a minimum coolant temperature required for an EV mode of operation.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the threshold corresponds to a minimum coolant temperature required to satisfy cabin heating requirements.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the threshold corresponds to a reserve coolant temperature that exceeds a minimum coolant temperature required to satisfy cabin heating requirements.

11. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

an electric machine configured to recharge a battery through regenerative braking;

an electric heater configured to selectively heat an engine coolant, transmission oil, or engine oil; and

a controller programmed to direct regenerative braking power to the electric heater to heat the transmission oil in response to a temperature of the engine coolant exceeding an engine coolant threshold, and direct regenerative braking power to the electric heater to heat the engine oil in response to a temperature of the transmission oil exceeding a transmission oil threshold.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 further comprising a transmission oil heat exchanger associated with the transmission oil and fluidly coupled to the electric heater.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the controller is further programmed to actuate a coolant bypass valve to flow coolant through the transmission oil heat exchanger to heat the transmission oil.

14. The vehicle of claim 11 further comprising an engine oil heat exchanger associated with the engine oil and fluidly coupled to the electric heater.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the controller is further programmed to actuate a coolant bypass valve to flow coolant through the engine oil heat exchanger to heat the engine oil.