Car Patents (Class 237/12.4)
  • Patent number: 9718453
    Abstract: A first heater heats a vehicle compartment by using cooling water of the internal combustion engine. A second heater heats the vehicle compartment by using electrical power supplied by the electrical storage device. The controller during driving of the internal combustion engine, when a temperature of the cooling water is equal to or higher than a reference temperature, controls the internal combustion engine to stop; when the second heater is operated during driving of the internal combustion engine, when a state quantity indicating a state of charge of the electrical storage device is equal to or higher than a threshold, controls the second heater such that an amount of heat generation of the second heater is higher than that generated when the state quantity is less than the threshold; and sets the reference temperature to be low as compared to when the state quantity is less than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryuta Teraya
  • Publication number: 20150060559
    Abstract: A method and a system (20) for transmitting heat for a vehicle (10) are described. In this case, the waste heat which is contained in the exhaust gas (3) of the vehicle (10) is stored in a heat accumulator (1) of the vehicle (10). The thermal energy stored in the heat accumulator (1) is conducted to at least one heat sink (11-16). The heat accumulator (1) can be thermally coupled to the at least one heat sink (11-16) and uncoupled therefrom. In the coupled state the amount of heat per time unit that is conducted to the at least one heat sink is set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Christoph Käppner, Jens Drückhammer
  • Publication number: 20150028116
    Abstract: A method of heating the interior of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a central heating system and several decentralized heating surfaces constructed as infrared radiators. The temperature of the vehicle interior is controllable by the central heating system and/or the decentralized heating surfaces corresponding to a heating demand of at least one vehicle occupant. For controlling the temperature of the vehicle interior corresponding to a heating demand, a power distribution takes place between the central heating system and the decentralized heating surfaces as a function of specified distribution demands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Peter SATZGER, Robert HERBOLZHEIMER
  • Patent number: 8847130
    Abstract: A heating unit can reduce the rate of power consumption for heating a vehicle, so that the running distance of the vehicle is increased and hence the battery charging cycle of the vehicle is prolonged. A heating unit of a vehicle heating system includes a casing made of a metal material capable of electromagnetically shielding microwaves, a support arranged in the hollow section of the casing, a plurality of microwave absorbing/heat emitting members arranged at the support and a microwave outputting unit arranged in the casing to output microwaves toward respective microwave absorbing/heat emitting members, blown air being heated by heat generated as a result of absorption of microwaves by the microwave absorbing/heat emitting members at the time for blown air to flow from the upstream side to the downstream side in the hollow sections of the microwave absorbing/heat emitting members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki-Kaisha TAKUMI, Kabushiki-Kaisha Lead Industry
    Inventors: Norio Niwa, Ryousei Noda, Hiroki Anzai
  • Publication number: 20140042234
    Abstract: A system for quick warm-up of a motor vehicle having an engine, an exhaust system and a passenger cabin includes a heat collector disposed in the exhaust system downstream of the catalytic converter. The system additionally includes a heater core in the passenger cabin. The heater core is in fluid communication with the heat collector for receiving a heated fluid from the heat collector. The system further includes an expansion tank for receiving fluid from the heater core. The expansion tank is located below the heat collector such that fluid drains from the heat collector back to the expansion tank solely under gravitational force. The heat collector may be combined with a resonator or with a muffler. The heater core may be a combined heater core that extracts heat from both the exhaust system and the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: COOPER-STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
    Inventors: George Moser, Adam Ostapowicz, Lawrence C. Kennedy, David Kolton
  • Patent number: 8628025
    Abstract: A vehicle waste heat recovery system may include a first pump, an internal combustion engine, a waste heat recovery device and a condenser. The first pump may be in fluid communication with a fluid. The internal combustion engine may be operable to power rotation of a drive axle of a vehicle and may define an engine coolant passage having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the first pump. The waste heat recovery device may have an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the engine coolant passage. The condenser may have an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the waste heat recovery device and an outlet in fluid communication with an inlet of the first pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: John R. Bucknell
  • Publication number: 20130327842
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electric heating comprising at least one first resistance heating device and a second resistance heating device, at least one pulse width modulation device, which is capable of a pulse width modulated operation of the first resistance heating device and/or the second resistance heating device, as well as at least one switching device. For a heating operation, the switching device is capable of selectively switching the first resistance heating device and the second resistance heating device between a first heating mode in which the first resistance heating device and the second resistance heating device are electrically connected in series, and a second heating mode in which the first resistance heating device and the second resistance heating device are electrically connected in parallel. The invention further relates to a vehicle comprising an electric heating as well as to a method for controlling an electric heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Websato SE
    Inventors: Heinz Seiler, Norbert Botzenmayer, Michael Zeyen, Dietmar Bytzek
  • Patent number: 8573505
    Abstract: A method of heating an undercarriage of a machine featuring obtaining a thawing system with a hydraulic system functioning to heat hydraulic fluid and a first high pressure line and a second high pressure line each fluidly connected to the hydraulic system and each adapted to carry hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic system; operatively connecting the hydraulic system to a main engine of the machine; creating channels in the machine to allow passage of the first high pressure line and the second high pressure line from the hydraulic system to the undercarriage of the machine; and activating the system, wherein when the system is activated the hydraulic fluid is delivered to the undercarriage providing heat to the undercarriage for thawing purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Inventor: Dana A. Hennessy
  • Patent number: 8561915
    Abstract: When an economy switch signal is ON to instruct that fuel economy should be given priority, a blower of an air conditioning device is operated using a blower characteristic map for fuel economy so that a blower level of the air conditioning device is changed with respect to the change in an engine coolant temperature at a low rate. Also, it is determined whether an engine needs to be operated or stopped using an engine operation map for fuel economy so that the engine is likely to be stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Ishida, Kunihiko Jinno, Keita Honda
  • Publication number: 20130125853
    Abstract: Methods for achieving efficient vehicle component heating are provided. One example method for controlling the warming of powertrain lubricants during engine warm-up from a cold start, the engine having an output crankshaft, includes selectively driving a lubricant heating device with the crankshaft during the cold start based on lubricant temperature. The method further includes directing the powertrain lubricants to the lubricant heating device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 8409055
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a vehicle powertrain includes a heater core, a transmission fluid warmer selectively in thermal communication with the heater core, a bypass valve between the heater core and transmission fluid warmer configured to control fluid flow therebetween, a control module configured to control the bypass valve, and a timer linked to the control module configured to delay deactivation of the bypass valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: James Thomas Gooden, Donald Peter Schneider, Kenneth Gerald Brown
  • Patent number: 8403234
    Abstract: A compact hydronic space and water heating apparatus and system is disclosed for use in a recreational vehicle. A liquid heating medium, stored within a low pressure tank, is recirculated through a gas fired heater thereby maintaining a desired set point temperature. The liquid heating medium is further circulated through the vehicles hydronic space heaters to heat the interior of the vehicle. Further fresh domestic water is passed through a heat transfer coil within the tank whereby hot domestic water may be provided. An auxiliary heating device is attached to the tank whereby hot combustion engine coolant may assist in maintaining the temperature of the liquid heating medium within the tank and/or reversed to pre heat the combustion engine if and when needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Inventor: Gerry Wolter
  • Publication number: 20130020398
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided with an air conditioning device that heats a passenger compartment, using cooling water passing through an internal combustion engine as a heat source, and a seat heater, which heats a seat in the passenger compartment by using an electric power from a battery as a heat source. An electronic control device performs EV travel of the vehicle by driving a motor generator while setting the internal combustion engine to a stop state and restarts the internal combustion engine when a cooling water temperature becomes equal to or less than a predetermined temperature during the EV travel. When a heating request is output to make the air conditioning device heat the passenger compartment during vehicle travel, the electronic control device reduces the heating degree of the air conditioning device and increases the heating degree by the seat heater during EV travel in comparison with non-EV travel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Miyuki Goto, Manabu Orihashi, Keiichi Uno
  • Patent number: 8047451
    Abstract: A washer fluid heater apparatus in embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features: (a) a heat exchanger having a washer fluid inlet to allow washer fluid to enter the heat exchanger and a washer fluid outlet to allow the washer fluid to exit the heat exchanger; and (b) a coolant passage traversing through the heat exchanger having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, the coolant inlet and coolant outlet operably coupled to an engine's coolant system to allow passage of engine coolant through the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: McNaughton Incorporated
    Inventor: Patrick James McNaughton
  • Patent number: 8016206
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for automobile having a heater core capable of heating the interior in good efficiency is to be provided. Such a heater core is supplied with the coolant having bubbles removed, and thereby the efficiency of heat exchange is enhanced and the noise is reduced. On the internal combustion engine is mounted a water outlet (bubble separating means) 3 having a receiving chamber 8 that the coolant after cooling the engine flows in. In the downstream position of the chamber 8 is formed a communicating portion 9 of narrowed sectional area and a feeding chamber 10 of increased sectional area in turn. The flowing velocity of the coolant is increased in the communicating portion 9 and decreased in the feeding chamber 10 and thereby it is possible to make bubbles in the coolant float up and separate out. As a result, the coolant without bubbles may be fed to the heater core 7 through a feeding portion 11.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignees: Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd., Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Ito, Takayoshi Ichihara
  • Patent number: 7069880
    Abstract: A heater diverter valve (20) is provided in an engine cooling system having a radiator and a circulating pump, The valve has a first inlet (31) connected to a heater so that coolant flowing through the engine and then through the heater is returned to the pump return line through the valve via the first inlet and an outlet (33). A second inlet (32) is connected to engine and transmission oil coolers so that coolant which flows from the engine supply line through the coolers is returned to the pump return line via the second inlet and the outlet. The valve includes a shuttle (24) which at lower coolant temperatures closes off the second inlet (32) to prevent coolant flow. The second inlet (32) is opened at higher temperatures when a wax type thermal actuator pushes the shuttle towards the first inlet (31).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: William Richard Hutchins