ECU temperature control
AssigneesCummins Engine Company, Inc., Iveco (UK) Ltd., New Holland U.K. Ltd.
InventorsJohn Jerl Purcell, Paul Sowerby, Edward P. Hodzen, Eric B. Andrews
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An engine having an electronic engine control unit (ECU) is provided with a temperature management system for the ECU to prevent failure of the ECU through overheating. The temperature management system comprising means for monitoring or evaluating the temperature of the ECU to determine when the temperature of the ECU is approaching a predetermined limit and means for limiting further heating of the ECU to prevent the said limit from being exceeded.
Claims10
A control system for an engine, said control system comprising an electronic engine control unit (ECU), at least one driver circuit in said ECU for controlling an external device, an external device controlled by said driver circuit, and a temperature management system for the ECU to prevent failure of the ECU through overheating, said temperature management system comprising:
- means for sensing a temperature indicative of the temperature of the ECU,
- means for setting a predetermined maximum temperature of said ECU,
- means integrated into and a primary component of the engine operating system and controlled by said ECU for variably cooling said ECU, and
- means for comparing the sensed temperature to said predetermined maximum, said comparing means commanding said variable cooling means to increase cooling of said ECU when the sensed temperature approaches said predetermined maximum.
A control system for an engine, said control system comprising an electronic engine control unit (ECU), at least one driver circuit in said ECU for controlling an external device, an external device controlled by said driver circuit, and a temperature management system for the ECU to prevent failure of the ECU through overheating, said temperature management system comprising:
- means for sensing a temperature indicative of the temperature of the ECU,
- means for setting a predetermined maximum temperature of said ECU,
- means connected to the engine operating system and controlled by said ECU for variably cooling said ECU, and
- means for comparing the sensed temperature to said predetermined maximum, said comparing means commanding said variable cooling means to increase cooling of said ECU when the sensed temperature approaches said predetermined maximum, wherein said variable cooling means comprises an engine cooling system with a heat transfer fluid flowing in heat transfer relation to said ECU and wherein the means for variably cooling the ECU comprises means for increasing the rate of coolant flow.
In an engine having an electronic engine control unit (ECU), a temperature management system for the ECU to prevent failure of the ECU through overheating, said temperature management system comprising:
- means for sensing a temperature indicative of the temperature of the ECU,
- means for setting a predetermined maximum temperature of said ECU,
- means controlled by said ECU for variably cooling said ECU,
- means for comparing the sensed temperature to said predetermined maximum, said comparing means commanding said variable cooling means to increase cooling of said ECU when the sensed temperature approaches said predetermined maximum, and
- wherein said temperature sensing means comprises means for measuring the temperature of ambient air and of the medium in said variable cooling means serving to cool the ECU and for evaluating from the measured temperatures the maximum rate of power dissipation in the ECU and controlling at least one of increasing cooling to said ECU and decreasing heat generation of said ECU.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.