ARRANGEMENT FOR COOLING A VEHICLE COMPONENT

• US 20060180103A1
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Gruia, Marian
• Granted Patent: US 7,210,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/41.310
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/30 Circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/00 Cooling circuits using auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/12 Turbo charger
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/14 Condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0413 Controlled cooling or heating of lubricant; Temperature control therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19991 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2189 Cooling

Abstract

The invention constitutes an arrangement for cooling a vehicle component, for example a transmission, disposed adjacent to an engine, which arrangement includes a cooling circuit designed to feed a coolant through the transmission and including a line for coolant to the transmission and a line for coolant to the transmission. According to the invention, the cooling circuit is also designed to cool the engine and includes a further line for feeding the coolant to the engine, and the cooling circuit includes a flow control valve for controlling the coolant in the cooling circuit such that the flow of coolant to the vehicle component is lower than the flow to the engine. As a result of the invention, an improved arrangement is obtained for cooling, for example, a transmission, for example in heavy goods vehicles.

Claims

1. An arrangement for cooling at least one vehicle component disposed adjacent to an engine, the arrangement comprising a cooling circuit adapted to feed a coolant through the vehicle component, the cooling circuit comprising a line for coolant to the vehicle component and a line for coolant from the vehicle component, wherein the cooling circuit is also designed to cool the engine and comprises a further line for feeding the coolant to the engine, the cooling circuit comprising a flow control valve for controlling the coolant in the cooling circuit such that the flow of coolant to the vehicle component is lower than the flow to the engine.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pump for feeding the coolant through a first line and then onward, on the one hand, to the line to the vehicle component and, on the other hand, to the line to the engine, the flow control valve being arranged along the line to the vehicle component.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 2, comprising a first radiator arranged along the line to the engine and a second radiator arranged along the line to the vehicle component.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first radiator and the second radiator are designed to be cooled by an onrushing air flow.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the line for coolant from the vehicle component comprises a nonreturn valve.

6. The arrangement as claimed claim 5, wherein the vehicle component is one of the following:

transmission, compressor, steering gear, EGR valve, exhaust-gas turbo, power-take-off, electronics unit or cabling.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the vehicle component comprises a heat exchanger.

8. The arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second radiator is arranged downstream of the flow control valve.

9. The arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first radiator and the second radiator are designed to be cooled by an onrushing air flow.

10. The arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the line for coolant from the vehicle component comprises a nonreturn valve.

11. The arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the vehicle component is one of the following:

transmission, compressor, steering gear, EGR valve, exhaust-gas turbo, power-take-off, electronics unit or cabling.

12. The arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the vehicle component comprises a heat exchanger.

13. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, comprising a first radiator arranged along the line to the engine and a second radiator arranged along the line to the vehicle component.

14. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first radiator and the second radiator are designed to be cooled by an onrushing air flow.

15. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the line for coolant from the vehicle component comprises a nonreturn valve.

16. The arrangement as claimed claim 1, wherein the vehicle component is one of the following:

transmission, compressor, steering gear, EGR valve, exhaust-gas turbo, power-take-off, electronics unit or cabling.

17. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle component comprises a heat exchanger.

18. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second radiator is arranged downstream of the flow control valve.

19. A vehicle comprising the arrangement as claimed in claim 1.