COOLING CONTROL DEVICE AND COOLING CONTROL METHOD FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

• US 20150267603A1
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Published: 09/24/2015
• 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., Valeo Systemes Thermiques (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Ichihara, Takayoshi, Peyrazat, Stephane
• Granted Patent: US 10,436,101 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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,

wherein a temperature sensing portion of the wax-type thermostat is provided near an inlet of an external coolant passage that constantly sends the coolant in the internal coolant passage to a 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 circuit switching mechanism.

3. A cooling control method for an internal combustion engine comprising:

switching a circuit performing coolant passage in which a certain one of a plurality of external coolant passages formed outside the internal combustion engine is connected to or disconnected from an internal coolant passage formed in the internal combustion engine; 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 an external coolant passage communicating with a radiator and the internal coolant passage are disconnected from each other due to failure of 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, and

wherein the wax-type thermostat comprises a temperature sensing portion provided near an inlet of an external coolant passage configured to constantly send the coolant in the internal coolant passage to a throttle chamber.