MOTOR VEHICLE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM AND METHOD
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Accused Products
Abstract
A motor vehicle engine cooling system includes a fluid flow control device having first and second fluid inlets and first and second fluid outlets. The first fluid inlet is arranged to be connected to a cylinder head coolant outlet of the engine and the second fluid inlet is arranged to be coupled to a cylinder block coolant outlet of the engine. The first fluid outlet is coupled to a radiator bypass conduit of the cooling system and the second fluid outlet is coupled to a radiator conduit of the cooling system and arranged to direct to flow through a radiator of the system. The device comprises a radiator outlet valve operable to control a flow of fluid out from the device through the second outlet, the valve having a closure member operable between an open position and a closed position responsive to a temperature of coolant flowing through the device, wherein when the closure member transitions from the closed position to the open position the closure member is arranged to be displaced in a direction downstream of a direction of flow of coolant through the second outlet.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A cooling system for a motor vehicle engine, the cooling system comprising a fluid flow control device having first and second fluid inlets and first and second fluid outlets,
the first fluid inlet being arranged to be connected to a cylinder head coolant outlet of the engine and the second fluid inlet being arranged to be coupled to a cylinder block coolant outlet of the engine, the first fluid outlet being coupled to a radiator bypass conduit of the cooling system and the second fluid outlet being coupled to a radiator conduit of the cooling system and arranged to direct to flow through a radiator of the system, the device comprising a radiator outlet valve operable to control a flow of fluid out from the device through the second outlet, the valve having a closure member operable between an open position and a closed position responsive to a temperature of coolant flowing through the device, wherein when the closure member transitions from the closed position to the open position the closure member is arranged to be displaced in a direction downstream of a direction of flow of coolant through the second outlet.
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29. A method of cooling a motor of a motor vehicle comprising pumping fluid through a motor cooling system via a fluid flow control device, the cooling system comprising a fluid flow control device, a first inlet of the fluid flow control device being coupled to a cylinder head coolant outlet of the engine and a second inlet of the fluid flow control device being coupled to a cylinder block coolant outlet of the engine, a first outlet of the fluid flow control device being coupled to a radiator bypass conduit of the cooling system and a second outlet being coupled to a radiator conduit of the cooling system whereby coolant may be directed to flow through a radiator of the system for cooling the coolant,
the method comprising causing coolant to flow into the device through one or both of the first and second inlets, the method further comprising actuating a closure member of a radiator outlet valve of the device between a closed position and an open position responsive to a temperature of coolant flowing through the device, whereby actuating the closure member from the closed position to the open position comprises displacing the closure member in a direction downstream of a direction of flow of coolant through the second outlet.
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36. A fluid flow control device comprising a valve having a closure member operable between an open position and a closed position responsive to a temperature of coolant flowing through the device, wherein when the closure member transitions from the closed position to the open position the closure member is arranged to be displaced in a direction downstream of a direction of flow of coolant through the device.
Specification