JP2007239657A - Automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To warm up an internal combustion engine securely by heating a heat exchange medium by solar heat. <P>SOLUTION: In this automobile, a hot water device 54a for storing cooling water by guiding the cooling water from a circulation flow passage for connecting the internal combustion engine with a radiator and heating the stored cooling water by solar heat is arranged in a region in a vehicle interior where sunlight can reach such as a place on a dashboard 62. Consequently, since heat retaining property of the cooling water in the hot water device 54a can be more improved when compared with an automobile constituted by arranging the hot water device 54a in the outside of vehicle, the engine can be warmed up securely by supplying the cooling water stored in the hot water device 54a to the engine. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an automobile that includes a drive device and cools the drive device using a heat exchange medium during normal driving of the drive device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this type of automobile, there has been proposed one in which a heat insulating container for storing cooling water for cooling an engine and warming the stored cooling water using solar heat is disposed on the roof of the vehicle. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1). In this automobile, when the engine is stopped, cooling water is led from the engine to the heat insulation container and stored, and the cooling water is heated using solar heat, and when the engine is started, the cooling water stored in the heat insulation container is supplied to the engine. As a result, the engine is preheated.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-51436

  In the above-mentioned automobile, since the heat insulating container is disposed on the roof of the vehicle, the cooling water stored in the container is easily affected by the outside air temperature. For this reason, depending on the outside air temperature, the cooling water cannot be sufficiently heated, and even if the cooling water stored in the heat retaining container is supplied to the engine, a sufficient warm-up effect may not be obtained. Although it may be possible to adopt a heat-insulating container having excellent heat-retaining properties, it tends to increase the size and cost of the container.

  An object of the automobile of the present invention is to more reliably warm up the drive device provided in the vehicle. Another object of the present invention is to more reliably warm up an internal combustion engine included in a vehicle.

  In order to achieve at least a part of the above object, the automobile of the present invention has taken the following measures.

The automobile of the present invention
An automobile that includes a driving device and that cools the driving device using a heat exchange medium during normal driving of the driving device;
Heat exchange means for cooling the heat exchange medium heated by heat exchange with the drive device using outside air;
Medium circulation means for circulating a heat exchange medium in a circulation flow path including the heat exchange means and the driving device;
A storage medium heating means that is disposed in a passenger compartment, guides and stores the heat exchange medium from the circulation flow path, and heats the stored heat exchange medium using solar heat;
Medium supply means for supplying a heat exchange medium stored in the storage medium heating means to the drive device via the circulation flow path;
Control means for controlling the medium supply means so that the heat exchange medium heated by the storage medium warming means is supplied to the drive apparatus when a predetermined warm-up condition is established when the drive of the drive apparatus is stopped;
It is a summary to provide.

  In the automobile of the present invention, the storage medium heating means for guiding and storing the heat exchange medium from the circulation flow path and heating the stored heat exchange medium using solar heat is disposed in the vehicle interior, and when the drive of the drive device is stopped. When a predetermined warm-up condition is satisfied, the medium supply means is controlled so that the heat exchange medium heated by the storage medium warming means is supplied to the drive device. As a result, the heat retention of the heat exchange medium in the storage medium heating means can be improved as compared with the storage medium heating means arranged outside the vehicle compartment, so that the drive device can be warmed up more reliably. Can do.

  In such an automobile of the present invention, the storage medium heating means may be arranged on a dashboard and / or an upper back in a passenger compartment. If it carries out like this, a storage medium heating means can be arrange | positioned easily.

  The vehicle of the present invention further includes temperature detection estimation means for detecting or estimating the temperature of the drive device, and the control means is configured such that the temperature of the drive device detected or estimated as the predetermined warm-up condition is a predetermined temperature. It is also possible to control the medium supply means so that the heat exchange medium heated by the storage medium heating means is supplied to the drive device when the temperature is less than the value.

  Furthermore, in the automobile of the present invention, the drive device may be an internal combustion engine. In this case, an automatic stop start unit capable of automatically stopping and automatically starting the internal combustion engine, and an engine temperature detection estimating unit for detecting or estimating the temperature of the internal combustion engine, the control unit includes the predetermined unit. The medium supply unit is controlled so that the heat exchange medium heated by the storage medium heating unit is supplied to the driving device when the temperature of the internal combustion engine detected or estimated as a warm-up condition is lower than a predetermined temperature. The internal combustion engine is started so that the detected or estimated temperature of the internal combustion engine does not exceed the predetermined temperature in spite of supplying the heated heat exchange medium to the internal combustion engine. It can also be a means for controlling the automatic stop / start means. In this way, the internal combustion engine can be warmed up more reliably, and the frequency of automatic start for warming up can be reduced.

  In the automobile of the present invention, the drive device may be an electric drive system including an electric motor capable of outputting driving power.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described using examples.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a hybrid vehicle 20 as an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the hybrid vehicle 20 according to the embodiment includes a ring gear connected to a drive shaft 36 having a carrier connected to an engine 22 and a crankshaft 24 of the engine 22 and connected to drive wheels 39a and 39b via a differential gear 38. , A motor 28 connected to the sun gear of the planetary gear mechanism 26, a motor 30 capable of inputting / outputting power to / from the drive shaft 36, and two motors 28, 30, a battery 34 capable of exchanging electric power with the power supply 30, a cooling system 40 that cools the engine 22 by supplying cooling water as a cooling medium to a cooling water passage 23 formed in the engine 22, and warming by the water heaters 54 a and 54 b. Warming-up system 50 for warming up engine 22 with the heated water and electronic control for controlling the entire vehicle And a unit 70.

  The cooling system 40 includes a radiator 44 provided in a circulation passage 42 that circulates cooling water in the cooling water passage 23 of the engine 22, and a circulation pump 46 that is connected to the crankshaft 24 of the engine 22 and circulates cooling water. The cooling water heated by the engine 22 is cooled by the radiator 44 and supplied to the engine 22 by driving the circulation pump 46 using the power from the engine 22.

  The warming-up system 50 is connected to a branch pipe 52 connected to the cooling water flow path 23 of the engine 22 via a switching valve 51, guides and stores the cooling water from the cooling water flow path 23, and stores the stored cooling water using solar heat. Two water heaters 54a and 54b to be heated, and an electric motor that is provided between the switching valve 51 and the two water heaters 54a and 54b and pumps cooling water stored in the two water heaters 54a and 54b to the engine 22 side. And a pump 56. The switching valve 51 is driven to connect the branch pipe 52 and the cooling water flow path 23 of the engine 22 and the electric pump 56 is driven, so that the warm water stored in the two water heaters 54a and 54b is heated. The supplied cooling water is supplied to the engine 22 side to warm up the engine 22.

  The two water heaters 54a and 54b are arranged within a range where sunlight can enter in the vehicle interior. 2 and 3 show the arrangement of the two water heaters 54a and 54b. As shown in FIG. 2, the water heater 54a is arranged on the dashboard 62 of the vehicle, and the water heater 54b is arranged on the upper back 64 of the vehicle as shown in FIG. It collects heat and heats the cooling water stored in the water heaters 54a and 54b. Since the temperature in the passenger compartment is higher than the outside air temperature, the cooling water in the two water heaters 54a and 54b heated by solar heat is kept warm with good heat retention.

  The electronic control unit 70 is configured as a microprocessor centered on the CPU 72. In addition to the CPU 72, a ROM 74 that stores processing programs, a RAM 76 that temporarily stores data, input / output ports and communication ports (not shown), and the like. Is provided. The electronic control unit 70 includes hot water from the temperature sensor 58 that detects the temperature of the engine water Tw1 from the temperature sensor 48 that detects the temperature of the cooling water in the cooling water flow path 23 of the engine 22 and the temperature of the hot water in the water heater 54a. Accelerator opening from the accelerator pedal position sensor 84 that detects the depression amount of the accelerator pedal 83, the shift position SP from the shift position sensor 82 that detects the vessel portion water temperature Tw2, the ignition signal from the ignition switch 80, the operation position of the shift lever 81 The degree Acc, the brake pedal position BP from the brake pedal position sensor 86 for detecting the depression amount of the brake pedal 85, the vehicle speed V from the vehicle speed sensor 88, and the like are input via the input port. Further, the electronic control unit 70 outputs a control signal to the engine 22, a control signal to the inverters 31 and 32, a drive signal to the electric pump 56, and the like through an output port.

  The operation of the hybrid vehicle 20 of the embodiment configured as described above, particularly, the operation when the engine 22 is warmed up using the cooling water stored in the two water heaters 54a and 54b will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a warm-up process routine executed by the electronic control unit 70 of the embodiment. This routine is executed when warm-up is requested when the engine 22 is stopped. Here, the request for warm-up of the engine 22 is made, for example, when the engine water temperature Tw1 from the temperature sensor 48 is lower than a threshold value T1 that is determined as a temperature at which the engine 22 needs to be warmed up.

  When the warm-up process routine is executed, the CPU 72 of the electronic control unit 70 drives and controls the switching valve 51 so that the water heaters 54a, 54b and the cooling water flow path 23 of the engine 22 are connected (step S100). The electric pump 56 is driven and controlled so that the cooling water in the water heaters 54a and 54b is supplied to the engine 22 side, and supply of the hot water to the engine 22 side is started (step S110).

  Then, the engine water temperature Tw1 is input (step S120), and the engine water temperature Tw1 input on the condition that the predetermined time has not elapsed waits for the above-described threshold T1 or more (steps S130 and S140). The electric pump 56 is stopped driving (step S160), and the switching valve 51 is driven and controlled so that the water heaters 54a, 54b and the coolant passage 23 of the engine 22 are disconnected (step S170), and this routine is finished. To do. On the other hand, if the engine water temperature Tw1 input before the predetermined time has not exceeded the threshold value T1, it is determined that the engine 22 cannot be sufficiently warmed up only with the hot water from the water heaters 54a, 54b. The electric pump 56 is started (step S150), the drive of the electric pump 56 is stopped (step S160), and the switching valve 51 is driven and controlled so that the water heaters 54a and 54b are disconnected from the cooling water passage 23 of the engine 22 (step S160). S170), this routine is finished. Note that the engine 22 is started by motoring the engine 22 by the motor 28 and the inverter 31 so that the torque output from the motor 28 is canceled by the motor 30 via the planetary gear mechanism 30 and acting on the drive shaft 36 side. , 32 by controlling the switching of the switching elements. Further, after the engine 22 is started, when the engine water temperature Tw1 from the temperature sensor 48 is equal to or higher than the threshold value T1 and the warm-up of the engine 22 is completed, other conditions for continuing the operation of the engine 22 must be satisfied. In this case, the engine 22 is automatically stopped.

  When the engine 22 is started, when the engine water temperature Tw1 from the temperature sensor 48 becomes equal to or higher than the threshold value T2, the water heaters 54a and 54b until the water heater temperature Tw2 from the temperature sensor 58 becomes equal to or higher than the threshold value T3. The switching valve 51 is driven and controlled so that the cooling water flow path 23 of the engine 22 is connected, and the electric pump 56 is driven and controlled, and the cooling water heated by the engine 22 is collected in the two water heaters 54a and 54b.

  According to the hybrid vehicle 20 of the embodiment described above, the water heaters 54a and 54b for storing the cooling water guided from the cooling water flow path 23 of the engine 22 and heating the stored cooling water using solar heat are disposed in the vehicle interior. Therefore, the heat retaining property of the cooling water in the water heaters 54a and 54b can be improved as compared with the case where the water heaters 54a and 54b are arranged outside the passenger compartment. As a result, the engine 22 can be more reliably warmed up using the cooling water heated by the water heaters 54a and 54b. In addition, since the frequency of starting the engine 22 for warm-up can be reduced, fuel consumption and exhaust emission can be further improved.

  In the hybrid vehicle 20 of the embodiment, the water heaters 54a and 54b are disposed on the dashboard 62 and the upper back 64 of the vehicle, but are disposed only on either the dashboard 62 or the upper back 64. For example, as long as it is within a range in which the interior of the vehicle can be visually recognized through the window when the vehicle is viewed from directly above, it is not limited to the dashboard 62 and the upper back 64, and may be arranged in any part.

  In the embodiment, the water heaters 54a and 54b arranged in the passenger compartment are used for warming up the engine 22 in the hybrid vehicle 20 including the engine 22, the planetary gear mechanism 26, and the motors 28 and 30, but the engine is automatically started. And may be used for warming up the engine in an automobile capable of automatic stop, or connected to the drive wheels 39a and 39b via a differential gear 38 as illustrated in the automobile 120 of the modified example of FIG. The motor 130 and the inverter 132 may be used for warming up the electric vehicle including the motor 130 capable of inputting / outputting power to the drive shaft 38 and the battery 134 capable of exchanging electric power with the motor 130 via the inverter 132. Good. In the modified example of the vehicle 120, an electric circulation pump 146 is used instead of the circulation pump 46 in the hybrid vehicle 20 of FIG.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course, it can be implemented in the form.

  The present invention is applicable to the vehicle manufacturing industry.

1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a hybrid vehicle 20 as one embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the water heater 54a. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the water heater 54b. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the warming-up process routine performed by the electronic control unit 70 of an Example. It is a block diagram which shows the outline of a structure of the motor vehicle 120 of a modification.

Explanation of symbols

20,120 Automobile, 22 Engine, 23 Cooling water flow path, 24 Crankshaft, 26 Planetary gear mechanism, 28, 30, 130 Motor, 31, 32, 132 Inverter, 34, 134 Battery, 36 Drive shaft, 38 Differential gear, 39a 39b Drive wheel, 40 Cooling system, 42 Circulating flow path, 44 Radiator, 46 Circulating pump, 48 Temperature sensor, 50 Warm-up system, 51 Switching valve, 52 Branch pipe, 54a, 54b Water heater, 56 Electric pump, 58 Temperature sensor, 62 Dashboard, 64 Upper back, 70 Electronic control unit, 72 CPU, 74 ROM, 76 RAM, 80 Ignition switch, 81 Shift lever, 82 Shift position sensor, 83 Accel pedal, 84 Accel pedal position sensor, 85 Brake Pedal, 86 Brake pedal position sensor, 88 Vehicle speed sensor.

Claims (6)

An automobile that includes a driving device and that cools the driving device using a heat exchange medium during normal driving of the driving device;
Heat exchange means for cooling the heat exchange medium heated by heat exchange with the drive device using outside air;
Medium circulation means for circulating a heat exchange medium in a circulation flow path including the heat exchange means and the driving device;
A storage medium heating means that is disposed in a passenger compartment, guides and stores the heat exchange medium from the circulation flow path, and heats the stored heat exchange medium using solar heat;
Medium supply means for supplying a heat exchange medium stored in the storage medium heating means to the drive device via the circulation flow path;
Control means for controlling the medium supply means so that the heat exchange medium heated by the storage medium warming means is supplied to the drive apparatus when a predetermined warm-up condition is established when the drive of the drive apparatus is stopped;
Automobile equipped with.   The automobile according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium heating means is arranged on a dashboard and / or an upper bag in a vehicle interior. The automobile according to claim 1 or 2,
Temperature detecting and estimating means for detecting or estimating the temperature of the driving device;
The control means supplies the heat exchange medium heated by the storage medium warming means to the drive device when the temperature of the drive device detected or estimated as the predetermined warm-up condition is lower than a predetermined temperature. An automobile which is means for controlling the medium supply means.   The automobile according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the drive device is an internal combustion engine. The automobile according to claim 4,
Automatic stop start means capable of automatic stop and automatic start of the internal combustion engine;
Engine temperature detection estimating means for detecting or estimating the temperature of the internal combustion engine;
With
When the temperature of the internal combustion engine detected or estimated as the predetermined warm-up condition is lower than a predetermined temperature, the control means supplies the heat exchange medium heated by the storage medium heating means to the drive device. When the medium supply means is controlled to supply the heated heat exchange medium to the internal combustion engine, the detected or estimated temperature of the internal combustion engine does not exceed the predetermined temperature. An automobile which is means for controlling the automatic stop starting means so that an internal combustion engine is started. The automobile according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the drive device is an electric drive system including an electric motor capable of outputting driving power.

Images