Automatic transmission fluid thermal conditioning system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJames Thomas Gooden, Michael Joseph Giunta, David Curtis Ives
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle cooling system includes an internal combustion engine, a transmission having a cooler, a coolant pump, a first coolant loop, a second coolant loop, and a flow regulator. The first coolant loop fluidly connects the coolant pump to the engine and returns to the coolant pump. The second coolant loop fluidly connects the coolant pump to the transmission cooler and returns to the coolant pump, bypassing the engine. The flow regulator is configured to selectively restrict coolant flow through the second coolant loop.
Claims14
A method of controlling a temperature of a lubricant in a motor vehicle transmission, the vehicle having a temperature control system comprising a coolant circuit fluidly connecting a coolant pump, an internal combustion engine, a transmission cooler, and a thermostat configured to adjust a coolant flow rate through the transmission cooler, the method comprising:
- directing a fraction of a coolant leaving the coolant pump to the internal combustion engine and subsequently back to the coolant pump;
- directing a remainder of the coolant leaving the coolant pump to the transmission cooler and subsequently back to the coolant pump, bypassing the internal combustion engine;
- and
- varying the fraction in response to a change in coolant temperature.
A vehicle cooling system comprising:
- a coolant pump;
- a first coolant loop directing a fraction of fluid from the pump through an engine and back to the pump;
- a second coolant loop directing a remainder of fluid from the pump through a transmission cooler and back to the pump, bypassing the engine;
- and
- a flow regulator configured to selectively restrict coolant flow through the second coolant loop.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.