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:
Sep. 17, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 02, 2000
David Gabriel, Royal Oak, MI (US);
Stephen John Kotre, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
This invention is a method and system for cooling Hybrid Electric Vehicle (“HEV”) components. The present invention cools HEV components, including an A/C system, an Internal Combustion Engine and its associated parts, an electric drive system and its associated parts, including an inverter, a DC/DC Converter, a generator motor, and a traction motor. Cooling these components, is accomplished by implementing a cooling system that is comprised of fluid filled cooling loops, radiators, fans, pumps, an air conditioning condenser and a controller. The pumps move the fluid through the cooling loops, allowing the fluid to absorb heat from the components and vent through the radiators with help from the fan's airflow. The controller monitors component temperature data by measuring actual component temperature or corresponding coolant temperature and compares the component temperature data to a calibratable threshold to determine whether the fan should operate. By controlling fan speed, the controller regulates airflow across the radiator and air condenser, to maintain coolant temperature, and subsequently component temperatures within acceptable parameters.