Apparatus and method for the integrated control of a thermal management system
AssigneeCooper-Standard Automotive Inc.
InventorDavid S. Malone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated apparatus and method is disclosed for controlling a fluid pump and a valve connected to a coolant loop. The fluid pump for circulating fluid through the coolant loop and the valve positionable between a first and a second position. A controller generates control signals that are transmitted to the fluid pump and to the valve for regulating the speed of the fluid pump and the flow of the fluid circulating through the coolant loop and to position the valve into either the first or the second position.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a fluid pump connected to a coolant loop for circulating fluid through the coolant loop;
- a valve connected to the coolant loop, the valve arranged to be positionable between a first and a second position;
- a memory storing a plurality of control blocks containing control values;
- a controller connected to the memory;
- a first sensor connected to the controller for sensing and reporting the speed of the fluid pump to the controller;
- and
- a second sensor connected to the controller for sensing and reporting the position of the valve to the controller,
- wherein the controller is operable to send the control values contained in one of the plurality of control blocks to the fluid pump responsive to the speed of the fluid pump to set a rate of fluid flow through the coolant loop and responsive to the position of the valve to position the valve into either the first or the second position.
A method for controlling a fluid pump and a valve connected to a coolant loop, the fluid pump for circulating fluid through the coolant loop and the valve positionable between a first and a second position, the method comprising;
- storing a plurality of control blocks containing control values in a memory;
- sensing the speed of the fluid pump with a first sensor;
- sensing the position of the valve with a second sensor;
- receiving by a controller the speed of the fluid pump from the first sensor and the position of the valve from the second sensor;
- and
- sending by the controller the control values from one of the plurality of control blocks to the fluid pump and to the valve responsive to the speed of the fluid pump and the position of the valve, wherein the control values regulate the speed of the fluid pump and a rate of fluid flow circulating through from the coolant loop and position the valve into either the first or the second position.
An apparatus for providing integrated control of a fluid pump and a valve connected to a coolant loop in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a memory storing a plurality of control blocks containing control values;
- a first sensor operatively connected to the fluid pump for sensing the speed of the fluid pump;
- a second sensor operatively connected to the valve for sensing the position of the valve;
- and
- a controller connected to the first and the second sensor the memory and to a vehicle computer, the controller arranged to receive control signals from the vehicle computer,
- wherein responsive to the received control signals and the speed of the fluid pump and the position of the valve the controller is operable to select and send the control values contained in one of the plurality of control blocks to the fluid pump to set a rate of fluid flow through the coolant loop and to the valve to switch fluid flow in the coolant loop.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.