Engine oil warm up using inductive heating

• US 10,704,433 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2018
• Issued: 07/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dudar, Aed M., Miller, Kenneth, Leone, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Almatrahi, Faris S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Testardi, David A
• Application Number:
  US16/111,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20200063614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/54 related to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/12 Inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/91 Battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 1/02 using lubricating pumps pumps in general F04; lubricating pumps per se F16N
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2005/008 Lubrication means facilitating engine starting
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/001 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/007 Thermostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/021 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/025 by prelubricating, e.g. using an accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/023 Temperature of lubricating oil or working fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F16N 2250/08 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/06 Control, e.g. of temperature, of power
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/108 for heating a fluid
• 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: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for preemptively heating engine oil prior to an engine start using an inductive heating mat. In one example, a method may include coupling a magnetic field between a primary coil housed in the inductive heating mat and a ferrous oil pan to inductively heat engine oil contained in the oil pan. While maintaining engine oil temperature above a threshold temperature, heated engine oil may then be circulated through engine components to warm up the engine prior to engine start.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

prior to an engine start,

inductively heating engine oil by coupling a magnetic field between a primary coil external to a vehicle and a ferrous oil pan or a ferrous member coupled to an oil pan, wherein the inductive heating occurs within a threshold duration prior to the engine start; and

circulating heated engine oil from the oil pan through one or more engine components during the heating,

wherein the threshold duration is based on a viscosity of the engine oil.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary coil is housed in a charging mat connected to a power source, the charging mat positioned directly under the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein inductively heating engine oil includes the magnetic field generating eddy currents at a surface of the ferrous oil pan, and the eddy currents generating thermal energy for heating the engine oil contained in the oil ferrous pan.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein circulating the heated engine oil includes, in response to an engine oil temperature increasing to a threshold temperature, operating an engine oil pump to circulate engine oil through the one or more engine components, while the vehicle is not in operation.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, during circulating the heated engine oil, in response to the engine oil temperature decreasing to below the threshold temperature, pausing circulation of the heated engine oil while continuing to inductively heat the engine oil, while the vehicle continues to not be in operation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the circulation of the heated engine oil is paused until the engine oil temperature increases to above the threshold temperature.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein inductive heating of the engine oil is initiated upon confirmation that each of a time remaining until the engine start is lower than the threshold duration and a state of charge (SOC) of a battery coupled to the vehicle is higher than a threshold SOC.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle, and the method further comprising, wirelessly charging the battery by coupling the magnetic field between the primary coil and a secondary coil onboard the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein charging of the battery and inductive heating of the engine oil is carried out simultaneously.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine start is a scheduled engine start as indicated by an operator or a predicted engine start as estimated based on driving history of the operator.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, the method further comprising, prior to inductively heating engine oil, moving the autonomous vehicle to position the oil pan directly above the primary coil.

12. An engine method, comprising:

estimating an engine oil temperature prior to an engine start,

in response to each of a lower than threshold engine oil temperature and a request for heating an engine prior to the engine start,

positioning an engine oil pan directly above a charging mat coupled to a power supply,

inductively heating engine oil contained in the oil pan, and

circulating heated engine oil through the engine while maintaining a temperature of the engine oil above a threshold temperature.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the request for heating the engine is based on each of a vehicle-off condition, a shorter than threshold duration until a subsequent engine start, a higher than threshold state of charge (SOC) of a battery, and a lower than threshold engine temperature.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, positioning the engine oil pan includes maneuvering the autonomous vehicle to align the engine oil pan directly above a primary coil housed in the charging mat.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein inductively heating the engine oil includes generating eddy currents at a surface of the oil pan from a magnetic field at the primary coil, the surface including a ferrous material.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein circulating the heated engine oil includes, operating an oil pump to circulate engine oil from the oil pan through the engine in response to engine oil temperature increasing to above the threshold temperature, pausing the oil pump operation in response to the engine oil temperature reducing to below the threshold temperature, and then resuming the oil pump operation to circulate engine oil through the engine in response to the engine oil temperature increasing to the threshold temperature.

17. An autonomous vehicle system, comprising:

a controller with computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory to;

during a first vehicle condition when the vehicle is not being propelled by engine torque or motor torque, and prior to an engine start, inductively heat engine oil via an external charging mat, and circulate heated engine oil through engine components, wherein the engine oil is inductively heated within a threshold duration prior to the engine start, and

during a second vehicle condition when the vehicle is not being propelled by engine torque or motor torque, inductively charge an on-board battery via the external charging mat,

wherein the threshold duration is based on a viscosity of the engine oil.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first vehicle condition includes a higher than threshold state of charge (SOC) of the battery powering an autonomous vehicle, and a lower than threshold engine oil temperature;

and wherein the second vehicle condition includes a lower than threshold SOC of the battery.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the external charging mat includes a primary coil generating a magnetic field, and during the first vehicle condition, a suspension is lowered to position an oil pan containing the engine oil directly above the external charging mat, and during the second vehicle condition, the battery is positioned directly over the external charging mat without lowering the suspension.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein circulation of heated engine oil through engine components includes, in response to engine oil temperature being above a threshold temperature, operating an oil pump coupled between an oil pan and an engine oil injector to deliver engine oil to engine components including pistons, crankshafts, and combustion chambers.