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US 9,789,765 B2Granted
Hybrid vehicle and method of heating engine coolant
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsKenneth James Miller, Douglas Raymond Martin, Thomas G. Leone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, an electric heater, and a controller. The electric machine is configured to recharge a battery through regenerative braking. The electric heater is configured to heat an engine coolant. The controller is programmed to redirect regenerative braking power to the electric heater in response to the engine coolant temperature being below a threshold.
Claims9
A vehicle comprising:
- an engine;
- an electric machine configured to recharge a battery through regenerative braking and power the vehicle during an electric vehicle mode where the engine is shutdown;
- an electric heater configured to heat an engine coolant;
- and
- a controller programmed to, in response to the engine only or a combination of the engine and the electric machine powering the vehicle prior to a temperature of the engine coolant increasing to a minimum temperature that coincides with a transition of the vehicle to the electric vehicle mode, direct regenerative braking power to the electric heater.
2 more elements
A method of heating engine coolant in a hybrid vehicle comprising:
- generating power with an electric machine via regenerative braking;
- and
- directing the power from the electric machine to an electric heater in order to heat the engine coolant in response to an engine only or a combination of the engine and the electric machine powering the vehicle prior to a temperature of the engine coolant increasing to a minimum temperature that coincides with a transition of the vehicle to a mode where the electric machine powers the vehicle alone.
A vehicle comprising:
- an engine;
- an electric machine configured to recharge a battery through regenerative braking;
- an electric heater configured to heat an engine coolant;
- a controller programmed to, in response to the engine powering the vehicle prior to the engine coolant increasing to a threshold temperature that coincides with a transition of the vehicle to a mode where the electric machine alone powers the vehicle, direct regenerative braking power to the electric heater.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.