The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 25, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 15, 1998
Satoshi Yoshimura, Kariya, JP;
Junji Sugiura, Toyota, JP;
Toshiki Sugiyama, Kariya, JP;
Kazuhiro Takeuchi, Okazaki, JP;
Denso Corporation, Kariya, JP;
Abstract
A vehicle cooling system including a motor control apparatus that controls operation of a system motor when a cooling fan driven by the motor locks due to foreign matter interference or freezing. When motor input current is detected to be overcurrent, the controller limits the current flow. When current flowing to the electric motor is detected to be overcurrent and ambient air temperature is at or above a predetermined temperature, the controller stops energization of the motor. Thus, when the cooling fan freezes and locks, energization of the motor is maintained until ambient air temperature reaches or exceeds the predetermined temperature. Therefore, when the frozen-locked state is eliminated due to a subsequent temperature rise, an ordinary operating state can again be obtained without the controller subsequently detecting surge current, generated as a result of the motor being re-started from a fully stopped state, as overcurrent and therefore incorrectly stopping motor energization. Additionally, when locking occurs due to foreign matter interfering with fan rotation, an overcurrent state is detected even when ambient air temperature is at or above the predetermined temperature, and motor energization is immediately stopped.