Cooling device for vehicle

• US 20070209612A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kojima, Toshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/41.490
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/322 for improving the stop or idling operation of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3248 related to pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3266 related to the operation of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3277 to control the air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/0295 Condensers for radiators
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/185 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/025 using two or more air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/046 with electrical pump drive
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/04 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/04 Pump-driving arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/08 by cutting in or out of pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/084 actuated electromagnetically
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0818 Conditions for starting or stopping the engine or for deactivating the idle-start-stop mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0806 Air condition state
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

A cooling device for a vehicle is provided at a vehicle comprising an engine control unit which stops an engine due to establishment of engine stoppage conditions and restarts the engine due to establishment of engine restart conditions. The cooling device for a vehicle is able to cool a coolant within a heat exchanger for cooling by cooling wind, which is guided from an exterior of the vehicle, passing through the heat exchanger for cooling. Cooling by driving force of either one of an electric motor or the engine can be selected in accordance with preset conditions.

Claims

1. A cooling device for a vehicle provided at a vehicle comprising an engine control unit which stops an engine due to establishment of engine stoppage conditions and restarts the engine due to establishment of engine restart conditions, the cooling device able to cool a coolant within a heat exchanger for cooling by cooling wind, which is guided from an exterior of the vehicle, passing through the heat exchanger for cooling, the cooling device comprising:

a first cooling fan driven by driving force of the engine, and guiding the cooling wind to the heat exchanger for cooling;

a second cooling fan driven by an electric motor, and guiding the cooling wind to the heat exchanger for cooling;

a selecting unit which can select either one of the first cooling fan or the second cooling fan on the basis of preset conditions and stopping/starting of the engine; and

a cooling control unit driving the selected cooling fan when the first or second cooling fan is selected by the selecting unit.

2. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the selecting unit selects the first cooling fan when the engine is started.

3. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein, when the engine is stopped on the basis of the engine stoppage conditions, the selecting unit judges, on the basis of a traveling speed of the vehicle, whether or not to select the second cooling fan.

4. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a detecting unit detecting a cooling load of the heat exchanger for cooling, wherein, when the engine is stopped on the basis of the engine stoppage conditions, the selecting unit judges, from results of detection of the detecting unit, whether or not to select the second cooling fan.

5. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 4, wherein the selecting unit selects the second cooling fan when the cooling load detected by the detecting unit exceeds a preset value.

6. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein, when the second cooling fan is selected, when the cooling load detected by the detecting unit exceeds the preset value, the selecting unit selects the first cooling fan.

7. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 6, wherein, when the selecting unit selects the first cooling fan, the cooling control unit carries out a drive request of the engine and stops the second cooling fan, and when the first cooling fan is selected, when the cooling load detected by the detecting unit becomes smaller than the preset value, the cooling control unit cancels the drive request of the engine, and the engine is stopped/restarted in accordance with the engine stoppage conditions/restarting conditions.

8. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 4, wherein the detecting unit comprises at least one of a water temperature detecting unit, which detects a cooling water temperature of the engine, and a pressure detecting unit, which detects a pressure of the coolant.

9. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the engine control unit comprises the cooling control unit, and the engine stoppage conditions and the engine restart conditions comprise whether or not the first cooling fan is selected.

10. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first and second cooling fans are respectively disposed along a vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the heat exchanger for cooling, and the second cooling fan is disposed at a vehicle front side of the first cooling fan, and

the cooling device for a vehicle further comprises:

a first fan shroud enclosing a periphery of the first cooling fan;

a second fan shroud enclosing a periphery of the second cooling fan;

first ventilating means formed at the first fan shroud, and impeding passage of the cooling wind through the first fan shroud when the first cooling fan is driven, and allowing passage of the cooling wind through the first fan shroud when the second cooling fan is driven; and

second ventilating means formed at the second fan shroud, and impeding passage of the cooling wind through the second fan shroud when the second cooling fan is driven, and allowing passage of the cooling wind through the second fan shroud when the first cooling fan is driven.

11. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 10, wherein the heat exchanger for cooling comprises first and second heat exchangers for cooling which respectively cool different coolants and which are arranged in the vehicle front-rear direction.

12. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 10, wherein the second cooling fan and the second fan shroud are disposed at a rear side, in the vehicle front-rear direction, of the heat exchanger for cooling, and the first cooling fan and the first fan shroud are disposed at the vehicle rear side of the second cooling fan and the second fan shroud.

13. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 10, wherein the second cooling fan and the second fan shroud are disposed at the vehicle front side of the heat exchanger for cooling, and the first cooling fan and the first fan shroud are disposed at a vehicle rear side of the heat exchanger for cooling.

14. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 10, wherein the first and second ventilating means comprise ventilation openings of the cooling wind which are formed in the first and second fan shrouds, and blocking members which can open and close the respective ventilation openings.

15. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 14, wherein the blocking members comprise curtain-like members which are disposed at the vehicle rear sides of the ventilation openings and which can open and close the ventilation openings in accordance with a pressure difference between the vehicle front side and the vehicle rear side of the ventilation openings.

16. A cooling device for a vehicle provided at a vehicle at which engine control is carried out which stops an engine due to establishment of preset engine stoppage conditions and restarts the engine due to establishment of engine start conditions, the cooling device comprising:

a heat exchanger for cooling at which heat exchange with a coolant is carried out due to cooling wind being guided;

a single cooling fan which, by being rotated and driven, operates and guides the cooling wind to the heat exchanger for cooling;

a first driving unit able to operate the cooling fan by driving force of the engine;

a second driving unit able to operate the cooling fan by driving force of an electric motor;

a detecting unit detecting a cooling load on the heat exchanger for cooling;

a judging unit judging a cooling capacity of the heat exchanger for cooling on the basis of results of detection of the detecting unit; and

a cooling control unit which, on the basis of results of judgment of the judging unit and a guiding capacity of the cooling wind, selects either one of the first driving unit or the second driving unit and operates the cooling fan.

17. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 16, wherein a number of rotations of the cooling fan by the electric motor is lower than a number of rotations of the cooling fan by the driving force of the engine.

18. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 16, wherein the detecting unit comprises a water temperature detecting unit, which detects a cooling water temperature of the engine, and a pressure detecting unit, which detects a pressure of the coolant.

19. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a speed detecting unit detecting a traveling speed of the vehicle,

wherein, while the cooling fan is being operated by using the second driving unit, or when the traveling speed detected by the speed detecting unit is greater than or equal to a predetermined speed, the cooling control unit selects the first driving unit.

20. The cooling device for a vehicle of claim 16, wherein the first driving unit comprises a fan coupling as a transfer unit which transfers the driving force of the engine to the cooling fan, and

when an atmospheric temperature of the fan coupling is greater than or equal to a predetermined temperature and the engine stoppage conditions are established,

the cooling control unit selects the second driving unit and operates the cooling fan, regardless of the results of judgment of the judging unit.