Cooling fan failure detection apparatus for hybrid vehicle

• US 6,377,880 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kayano, Morio, Murakami, Hiroshi, Kato, Shinji, Ochiai, Shinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US09/661,286
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 340/449, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/68.1, 180/68.2
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/021 Means for detecting failure or malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling fan failure detection apparatus for a hybrid vehicle. This apparatus comprises a cooling capacity calculation device which calculates a cooling capacity of a cooling fan provided in the hybrid vehicle; a battery heating value calculation device which calculates a heating value of a battery provided in the hybrid vehicle; an assumed temperature change calculating device which calculates an assumed temperature change of the battery based on the heating value and the cooling capacity; an actual temperature change calculating device which calculates an actual temperature change of the battery; and a failure determination device which determines whether the cooling fan is failing by comparing the assumed temperature change calculated by the assumed temperature change calculating device and the actual temperature change calculated by the actual temperature change calculating device.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine which outputs a driving force for the hybrid vehicle;

a motor which outputs an assistant driving force so as to assist the driving force of the engine;

a battery which supplies electric power to the motor when the assistant driving force is necessary, and which stores electric power generated by the motor when the assistant driving force is not necessary;

a cooling fan which cools the battery;

a cooling capacity calculation device which calculates a cooling capacity of the cooling fan;

a battery heating value calculation device which calculates a heating value of the battery;

an assumed temperature change calculating device which calculates an assumed temperature change of the battery based on the heating value and the cooling capacity;

an actual temperature change calculating device which calculates an actual temperature change of the battery; and

a failure determination device which determines whether the cooling fan is failing by comparing the assumed temperature change calculated by the assumed temperature change calculating device and the actual temperature change calculated by the actual temperature change calculating device.

2. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cooling capacity calculation device comprises a temperature difference calculation unit which calculates temperature difference between a temperature of a coolant applied to the battery by the cooling fan and a temperature of the battery.

3. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the battery heating value calculation device comprises an input/output electric power calculation unit which calculates values of the electric power input to or output from the battery based on a voltage of the battery and charge and discharge electric currents input to or output from the battery.

4. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the assumed temperature calculation device comprises an assumed temperature change calculation unit which calculates an assumed temperature change based on values of the electric power input to or output from the battery and temperature difference between a temperature of a coolant applied to the battery by the cooling fan and a temperature of the battery.

5. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an assumed temperature change map which defines the relationship between an electric power input to or output from the battery, a temperature difference between temperatures of a coolant and the battery, and an assumed temperature change of the battery.

6. A cooling fan failure detection apparatus for a hybrid vehicle comprising:

a cooling capacity calculation device which calculates a cooling capacity of a cooling fan provided in the hybrid vehicle;

a battery heating value calculation device which calculates a heating value of a battery provided in the hybrid vehicle;

an assumed temperature change calculating device which calculates an assumed temperature change of the battery based on the heating value and the cooling capacity;

an actual temperature change calculating device which calculates an actual temperature change of the battery; and

a failure determination device which determines whether the cooling fan is failing by comparing the assumed temperature change calculated by the assumed temperature change calculating device and the actual temperature change calculated by the actual temperature change calculating device.

7. A cooling fan failure detection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the cooling capacity calculation device comprises a temperature difference calculation unit which calculates temperature difference between a temperature of a coolant applied to the battery by the cooling fan and a temperature of the battery.

8. A cooling fan failure detection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the battery heating value calculation device comprises an input/output electric power calculation unit which calculates values of the electric power input to or output from the battery based on a voltage of the battery and charge and discharge electric currents input to or output from the battery.

9. A cooling fan failure detection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the assumed temperature calculation device comprises an assumed temperature change calculation unit which calculates an assumed temperature change based on values of the electric power input to or output from the battery and temperature difference between a temperature of a coolant applied to the battery by the cooling fan and a temperature of the battery.

10. A cooling fan failure detection apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising an assumed temperature change map which defines the relationship between an electric power input to or output from the battery, a temperature difference between temperatures of a coolant and the battery, and an assumed temperature change of the battery.