US 2003/0188937 A1 · System for controlling the temperature of a vehicle drive train component including engine coolant circulation

Abstract

A system for controlling the temperature of a vehicle drive train component utilizes coolant that is normally used to cool an engine on the vehicle. At least one flow passageway is associated with the drive train component housing. Coolant from the radiator is selectively allowed to flow through the passageway where it absorbs heat from within the drive train component. The fluid is then returned to the radiator where heat can be dissipated in a conventional manner. A suitably programmed controller preferably controls the amount of coolant fluid flow through the component and controls a fan assembly associated with the radiator to ensure appropriate cooling of the fluid to achieve desired engine cooling and drive train component cooling.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for cooling a drive train component assembly, comprising:

a radiator through which fluid flows having an inlet that receives the fluid at a first temperature and an outlet that permits the fluid to exit the radiator at a second, cooler temperature;
a component housing;
at least one fluid flow passage associated with the housing, the passage being in fluid communication with the radiator such that the passage receives fluid from the radiator at the second temperature, allows the fluid to flow through the passage where the fluid absorbs heat from within the component assembly and returns the heated fluid to the radiator.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for controlling the temperature of a vehicle drive train component including engine coolant circulation

Life of this patent

System for controlling the temperature of a vehicle drive train component including engine coolant circulation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20