Cooling control device and cooling control method for internal combustion engine

• US 10,436,101 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Valeo Systemes Thermiques (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ichihara, Takayoshi, Peyrazat, Stephane
• Primary Examiner(s): Furdge, Larry L
• Application Number:
  US14/401,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20150267603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,338 Days
• Field of Search: 236 345, 123 4109, 123 411
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/16 concerning coolant temperature F01P11/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2031/32 Deblocking of damaged thermostat
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/165 characterised by systems with two or more loops
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/167 by adjusting the pre-set temperature according to engine parameters, e.g. engine load, engine speed

Abstract

A cooling control device for an internal combustion engine has an internal coolant passage formed in the internal combustion engine, external coolant passages formed outside the internal combustion engine and connected to the internal coolant passage, the cooling control device performing coolant passage switching in which the internal coolant passage and a certain one of the external coolant passages are connected to or disconnected from each other by a circuit switching mechanism, a branching passage that sends coolant in the internal coolant passage to one of the external coolant passages which passes through a radiator, when the circuit switching mechanism has a failure and fails in circuit switching of connecting the internal coolant passage and the external coolant passage passing through the radiator to each other, and a wax-type thermostat provided in the branching passage that opens the branching passage when the internal combustion engine is excessively heated.

Claims

1. A cooling control device for an internal combustion engine comprising:

an internal coolant passage formed in the internal combustion engine;

a plurality of external coolant passages formed outside the internal combustion engine;

a control valve that switches a coolant passage circuit by disconnecting one of the external coolant passages connected to the internal coolant passage from the internal coolant passage, and by connecting another of the external coolant passages to the internal coolant passage;

a branching passage that sends coolant in the internal coolant passage to one of the external coolant passages coupled to a radiator, when the one of the external coolant passages coupled to the radiator is disconnected from the internal coolant passage as a result of control valve failure; and

a wax-type thermostat provided in the branching passage that opens the branching passage when the internal combustion engine is excessively heated,

wherein the wax-type thermostat comprises a container encapsulating wax,

wherein the container is provided at an inlet of a throttle circuit that constantly sends the coolant in the internal coolant passage to a throttle chamber, and

wherein the container is arranged in a middle of a flow passage through which the coolant flows from the internal coolant passage to the throttle chamber.

2. The cooling control device for the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein an operation temperature of the wax-type thermostat is higher than a circuit switching temperature of the control valve.

3. A cooling control method for an internal combustion engine having

an internal coolant passage formed in the internal combustion engine;

and

a plurality of external coolant passages formed outside the internal combustion engine;

the cooling control method comprising;

switching a coolant passage circuit by disconnecting one of the external coolant passages connected to the internal coolant passage from the internal coolant passage, and by connecting another of the external coolant passages to the internal coolant passage; and

opening, via a wax-type thermostat, a branching passage, and causing coolant in the internal coolant passage to flow to the external coolant passage communicating with a radiator,

when the external coolant passage communicating with the radiator and the internal coolant passage are disconnected from each other due to failure of a switching circuit and the internal combustion engine is excessively heated,

wherein the branching passage sends the coolant in the internal coolant passage to the radiator through the external coolant passage communicating with the radiator,

wherein the wax-type thermostat comprises a container encapsulating wax, and

wherein the container is provided at an inlet of a throttle circuit that constantly sends the coolant in the internal coolant passage to a throttle chamber, and

wherein the container is arranged in a middle of a flow passage through which the coolant flows from the internal coolant passage to the throttle chamber.