# US 2019/0315192 A1 · Blower motor operation for an electrified vehicle

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- Number: US 2019/0315192 A1
- Document ID: US20190315192A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/951,366
- Filed: 2018-04-12
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-12
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Mark G. SMITH; Chris George OEHRING; Jasbir JAGLAN; Angel Fernando PORRAS
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190315192A1

## CPC

- B60H 1/00828: {Ventilators, e.g. speed control (B60H1/00864 takes precedence)}
- B60H 1/00885: {Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps (B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485)}
- B60H 1/00278: {for the battery}
- B60H 1/00385: {for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell}
- B60H 1/00428: {electric}
- B60H 1/00764: {the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed (B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence)}
- B60H 1/2215: {the heat being derived from electric heaters}
- B60H 1/2225: {arrangements of electric heaters for heating air}
- F01P 3/20: Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine (F01P3/22 takes precedence)
- F01P 7/16: by thermostatic control
- B60H 2001/3239: {related to flow}
- B60H 2001/3269: {output of a control signal}
- F01P 2007/143: {using restrictions}
- F01P 2007/146: {using valves}
- F01P 2060/08: Cabin heater
- B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
- F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28)

## Abstract

A method of operating a vehicle climate system includes, by a controller, responsive to a same blower motor request, operating a blower motor at a first speed responsive to a heater core isolation valve (HCIV) directing coolant used to heat a cabin to an engine. The method further includes, by the controller, responsive to the same blower motor request, operating the blower motor at a second speed less than the first speed responsive to the HCIV directing the coolant to an electric heater and not to the engine.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a vehicle climate system, comprising:
by a controller, responsive to a same blower motor request,
operating a blower motor at a first speed responsive to a heater core isolation valve (HCIV) directing coolant used to heat a cabin to an engine; and
operating the blower motor at a second speed less than the first speed responsive to the HCIV directing the coolant to an electric heater and not to the engine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the HCIV is adapted to direct coolant from a heater core through a combined heating loop that includes an engine coolant path when the HCIV is in a first configuration, and wherein the HCIV is adapted to direct coolant from the heater core through an electric-only heating loop that does not include the engine coolant path when the HCIV is in a second configuration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving at the controller a signal indicating whether the HCIV is directing coolant through a loop that does not include an engine coolant path.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving at the controller a signal indicative of an engine coolant temperature (ECT) and a signal indicative of a heater core temperature (HCT).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein the signal indicative of the ECT includes a cylinder head temperature and wherein the signal indicative of the HCT is a heater core outlet temperature.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein the controller is adapted to operate the blower motor according to the first or second speed as a function of a comparison of the signals indicative of the ECT and the HCT.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the controller is adapted to operate the blower motor according to the first speed when ECT>HCT, and is adapted to operate the blower motor according to the second speed when ECT<HCT.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the controller is adapted to operate the blower motor according to the first speed when ECT>HCT−X, and is adapted to operate the blower motor according to the second speed when ECT<HCT−X, wherein X is an offset temperature value.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein operating the blower motor at the first speed includes operating the blower motor at a first voltage, and wherein operating the blower motor at the second speed includes operating the blower motor at a second voltage lower than the first voltage.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the controller is adapted to operate the blower motor according to a plurality of voltages as a function of an ambient air temperature.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein when the HCIV is in the second configuration, the controller is further adapted to operate the blower motor according to:
a first voltage responsive to the ambient air temperature being less than a temperature threshold and a user-selectable blower speed being a first speed;
a second voltage less than the first voltage responsive to the ambient air temperature being less than the temperature threshold and the user-selectable blower speed being a second speed different than the first speed;
a third voltage greater than the first voltage responsive to the ambient air temperature being greater than the temperature threshold and a user-selectable blower speed being the first speed; and
a fourth voltage less than the third voltage responsive to the ambient air temperature being greater than the temperature threshold and the user-selectable blower speed being the second speed.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the third voltage is lower than the first voltage.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the fourth voltage is lower than the second voltage.

### Claim 14

A method of operating a vehicle climate system, comprising:
by a controller, responsive to a same blower motor request,
operating a blower motor at a first voltage when an engine coolant temperature (ECT) is higher than a heater core temperature (HCT); and
operating the blower motor at a second voltage lower than the first voltage when the ECT is lower than the HCT.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 further comprising:
at the controller,
receiving a signal indicative of a cylinder head temperature and a signal indicative of a heater core outlet temperature, and
operating the blower motor at the first or second voltage as a function of a comparison of the signals indicative of the cylinder head temperature and the heater core outlet temperature.

### Claim 16

A method of operating a vehicle climate system, comprising:
by a controller, responsive to a same blower motor setting and ambient temperature being less than a predefined threshold,
reducing a same maximum blower motor speed and modifying a user-interface to indicate a decreased maximum blower motor speed responsive to a heater core isolation valve (HCIV) configuration change from a first configuration to a second configuration; and
maintaining the same blower motor speed and modifying the user-interface to indicate increased maximum blower motor speed responsive to a HCIV configuration change from the second configuration to the first configuration.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein in the first configuration, the HCIV is adapted to direct coolant from a heater core through a combined heating loop that includes an engine coolant path, and wherein in the second configuration, the HCIV is adapted to direct coolant from the heater core through an electric-only heating loop that does not include the engine coolant path.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the user-interface includes a visual blower fan speed indicator displayed at a display.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 further wherein the predefined threshold is a first predefined threshold, the method further comprising:
by the controller responsive to the same blower motor setting,
operating a blower motor according to a first blower motor voltage range having a first minimum voltage and a first maximum voltage responsive to the ambient temperature being lower than the first predefined threshold,
operating the blower motor according to a second blower motor voltage range having a second maximum voltage that is less than the first maximum voltage responsive to the ambient temperature being lower than a second predefined threshold that is lower than the first predefined threshold, and
operating the blower motor according to a third blower motor voltage range having a third maximum voltage that is less than the second maximum voltage responsive to the ambient temperature being lower than a third predefined threshold that is lower than the second predefined threshold.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 wherein the second blower motor voltage range and the third blower motor voltage range have minimum voltages generally corresponding to the first minimum voltage.