Cooling device, control method of cooling device, and abnormality specification method

• US 8,046,126 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yanagida, Eiji, Tsuchie, Tetsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dager; Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US11/792,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,055 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/22, 701/29, 701/31, 701/36, 165/200, 165/279, 165/297, 165/300, 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180/65.27, 123/491, 184/104.1, 374/1, 374/141, 374/145, 731/143.4, 417/32, 417/231, 417/278, 417/279, 417/321, 417/372
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/02 with liquid cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/087 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/006 the liquid being oil
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2031/00 Fail safe
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/24 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/00 Cooling circuits using auxiliaries
• 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: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

The start control is repeatedly performed for an oil pump that pressure feeds the flow of oil in a motor cooling system. This control is repeated for every specified rise in motor temperature (e.g., every 10° C.) from an initial starting temperature. This arrangement increases the potential for a successful start-up of the oil pump even when the oil has a high viscosity due to a relatively low outside air temperature. In the event of a failed start-up of the oil pump by repeated starting, the start control determines an abnormality exists in the oil pump or its power supply if an outside air temperature is greater than a reference temperature. This arrangement effectively eliminates incorrect detection of an abnormality in the oil pump or its power supply.

Claims

1. A cooling device that supplies a flow of cooling oil to cool down a motor mounted on a vehicle and driven to output driving power, said cooling device comprising:

a heat exchange unit configured to cool down the flow of cooling oil through heat exchange with outside air;

a pressure feed unit that is provided in a cooling oil circulation path formed between the motor and the heat exchange unit, the pressure feed unit configured to pressure feed the flow of cooling oil and circulate the flow of cooling oil through the cooling oil circulation path;

an outside air temperature measurement unit configured to measure outside air temperature;

a motor temperature measurement unit configured to measure temperature of the motor; and

a start control module configured to perform a start-up control for a start of the pressure feed unit at a rise in measured temperature of the motor to a preset starting temperature and, in the event of a failed start-up of the pressure feed unit, to repeat the start-up control up to a predetermined number of times at every rise in measured temperature of the motor to one of multiple different temperatures, which are higher than the preset starting temperature, until a successful start-up of the pressure feed unit,

wherein said start control module is configured to give notification of an abnormality in the event of the failed start-up of the pressure feed unit by the predetermined number of repetitions of the start-up control, and

wherein said start control module is configured so as not to give notification of an abnormality even in the event of the failed start-up of the pressure feed unit by the predetermined number of repetitions of the start-up control, when the measured outside air temperature is lower than a preset low reference temperature.

2. A cooling device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the multiple different temperatures higher than the preset starting temperature have temperature differences of a preset temperature interval.

3. A cooling device that supplies a flow of cooling oil to cool down a motor mounted on a vehicle and driven to output driving power, said cooling device comprising:

a heat exchange unit configured to cool down the flow of cooling oil through heat exchange with outside air;

a pressure feed unit that is provided in a cooling oil circulation path formed between the motor and the heat exchange unit, the pressure feed unit configured to pressure feed the flow of cooling oil and circulate the flow of cooling oil through the cooling oil circulation path;

a motor temperature measurement unit configured to measure temperature of the motor;

an outside air temperature measurement unit configured to measure outside air temperature;

a start control module configured to perform a start-up control for a start of the pressure feed unit at a rise in measured temperature of the motor to a preset starting temperature; and

an abnormality specification module configured to specify, in the event of a failed start-up of the pressure feed unit by the start-up control of said start control module, occurrence of an abnormality at the measured outside air temperature of not lower than a preset low reference temperature, while not specifying the occurrence of an abnormality at the measured outside air temperature of lower than the preset low reference temperature.

4. A cooling device control method of controlling a cooling device, said cooling device including:

a heat exchange unit that cools down a flow of cooling oil through heat exchange with outside air; and

a pressure feed unit that is provided in a cooling oil circulation path formed between a motor, which is driven to output driving power of a vehicle, and the heat exchange unit to pressure feed the flow of cooling oil and circulate the flow of cooling oil through the cooling oil circulation path,

said cooling device control method performing a start-up control for a start of the pressure feed unit at a rise in measured temperature of the motor to a preset starting temperature and, in the event of a failed start-up of the pressure feed unit, repeating the start-up control up to a predetermined number of times at every rise in measured temperature of the motor to one of multiple different temperatures, which are higher than the preset starting temperature, until a successful start-up of the pressure feed unit,

said cooling device control method specifying occurrence of an abnormality in the event of the failed start-up of the pressure feed unit by the predetermined number of repetitions of the start-up control, and

said cooling device control method not specifying the occurrence of an abnormality even in the event of the failed start-up of the pressure feed unit by the predetermined number of repetitions of the start-up control, when a measured outside air temperature is lower than a preset low reference temperature.

5. A cooling device control method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the multiple different temperatures higher than the preset starting temperature have temperature differences of a preset temperature interval.

6. An abnormality specification method of specifying an abnormality at a start of a cooling device, said cooling device including:

a heat exchange unit that cools down a flow of cooling oil through heat exchange with outside air; and

a pressure feed unit that is provided in a cooling oil circulation path formed between a motor, which is driven to output driving power of a vehicle, and the heat exchange unit to pressure feed the flow of cooling oil and circulate the flow of cooling oil through the cooling oil circulation path, said abnormality specification method comprising the steps of;

performing a start-up control for a start of the pressure feed unit at a rise in measured temperature of the motor to a preset starting temperature; and

in the event of a failed start-up of the pressure feed unit by the start-up control, specifying occurrence of an abnormality at a measured outside air temperature of not lower than a preset low reference temperature, while not specifying the occurrence of an abnormality at the measured outside air temperature of lower than the preset low reference temperature.