Temperature regulation for a vehicle power system
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorCharlie Yang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for temperature regulation of a charging system. An indication is received that the battery system will need to be heated or cooled at a future point in time. A fluid that has been heated or cooled during operation of the vehicle is stored in a storage tank to enable the heating or cooling, respectively the battery system. The flow of the fluid from the storage tank to the battery system is controlled at the future point in time to heat or cool the battery system.
Claims18
A method for temperature regulation of a vehicle power system, the method comprising:
- heating a fluid when the fluid is circulated through the vehicle during operation of the vehicle such that the fluid becomes a heated fluid;
- receiving an indication that a battery system will need to be heated upon a next startup of the vehicle;
- storing the heated fluid in a storage tank that is insulated such that the storage tank maintains a temperature of the heated fluid within a selected temperature range;
- and
- controlling, at the next startup of the vehicle, a flow of the heated fluid from the storage tank to the battery system to heat the battery system.
An apparatus comprising:
- a storage tank for storing a fluid that has been brought to within a selected temperature range during an operation of a vehicle, wherein the storage tank is insulated such that the storage tank maintains a temperature of the fluid within the selected temperature range;
- a plurality of lines for carrying the fluid;
- a valve system coupled to the storage tank and configured to control a flow of the fluid from the storage tank through a vehicle power system via the plurality of lines to adjust a temperature of at least one component in the vehicle power system at a subsequent startup of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.