Method and apparatus for moderating the temperature of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle

Abstract

In an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in order to shorten the cold-starting phase, it is provided that upon a shut off of the engine, essentially the entire amount of coolant is pumped out of a cooling system into a normally empty heat insulated reservoir, from which the coolant is fed back into the cooling system again upon subsequent start up of the engine.

1 . A method of moderating the temperature of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle during start up of the engine after the engine had previously been shut off, using a cooling system that circulates liquid coolant through the engine, and a normally empty heat-insulted reservoir, said method comprising feeding the liquid coolant from the cooling system to the reservoir upon shut off of the engine, upon subsequent start up of the engine feeding the coolant from the reservoir to the cooling system.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  characterized by said feeding the liquid coolant to the reservoir feeds substantially all of the liquid coolant from the cooling system to the reservoir.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  characterized by temporarily delaying the feed of coolant to the reservoir after the engine is shut off.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  characterized by temporarily delaying the feed of coolant from the reservoir to the cooling system upon start up of the engine.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , characterized by said feeding of the liquid coolant to the reservoir includes feeding liquid from at least one of a passenger compartment heating system, a transmission fluid cooling system and a motor oil cooling system, and said feeding of liquid from said reservoir includes feeding said liquid to said at least one of a passenger compartment heating system, transmission fluid cooling system and motor oil cooling system.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  characterized by said feeding liquid from said reservoir feeds in a staggered delay sequence.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  characterized by said feeding of liquid from the reservoir to the cooling system temporarily bypasses a radiator of the engine cooling system.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  characterized by the reservoir being formed in two separate sections or two separate reservoirs, and said feeding the liquid coolant feeds coolant from the engine through the cooling system to one of said sections or reservoirs and feeds coolant from the radiator through the cooling system to the other of said sections or reservoirs.  
   
   
       9 . In a cooling system for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle having a cooling system conduit through which liquid coolant is circulated between a radiator and the engine, a reservoir system comprising a normally empty heat-insulating reservoir, a reservoir conduit connecting said cooling system conduit with said reservoir, a pump in said reservoir conduit operable upon shut off of the engine to feed the liquid coolant from said cooling system into said reservoir, and a valve in said reservoir conduit operable upon start up of said engine for feed of the liquid coolant from said reservoir into said cooling system.  
   
   
       10 . The reservoir system of  claim 9  characterized by said reservoir having a capacity for containing substantially all of the liquid coolant in said cooling system.  
   
   
       11 . The reservoir system of  claim 9  characterized by a return conduit connecting said reservoir to at least one of a passenger compartment heating system, a transmission fluid cooling system and a motor oil cooling system for feeding liquid coolant from said reservoir to said at least one said passenger compartment heating system, said transmission fluid cooling system and said motor oil cooling system.  
   
   
       12 . The reservoir system of  claim 11  characterized by said reservoir having a capacity for containing substantially all of the liquid coolant in said cooling system and said at least one said passenger compartment heating system, said transmission fluid heating system and said motor oil cooling system.  
   
   
       13 . The reservoir system of  claim 11  characterized by a pump and a normally dosed valve in said return conduit operable upon start up of the engine to feed coolant liquid from said reservoir to said at least one passenger compartment heating system, transmission fluid cooling system and motor oil cooling system.  
   
   
       14 . The reservoir system of  claim 9  characterized by a temperature sensitive bypass control valve in said cooling system conduit upstream of said radiator and sensitive to the temperature of the cooling liquid to selectively divert the flow of coolant liquid to bypass the radiator and recirculate the cooling liquid to the engine.  
   
   
       15 . The reservoir system of  claim 9  characterized by said reservoir being positioned at a level higher than said radiator and said engine for feed of cooling liquid from said reservoir to the cooling system by gravity.  
   
   
       16 . The reservoir system of  claim 9  characterized by a valve in said reservoir conduit normally permitting flow of liquid coolant to said reservoir and preventing backflow, and operable upon start up of said engine to permit backflow of liquid coolant from said reservoir to said cooling system.  
   
   
       17 . The reservoir system of  claim 9  characterized by said reservoir conduit being connected to said cooling system conduit upstream of a cooling system pump that pumps coolant to the engine.  
   
   
       18 . The reservoir system of  claim 9  characterized by said reservoir being connected to a pressure equalizing tank of the cooling system for passage of air thereto from said reservoir as coolant liquid is fed to said reservoir.  
   
   
       19 . The reservoir system of  claim 8  characterized by said reservoir being formed in two separate sections or two separate reservoirs and said reservoir conduit being operable to feed coolant alternatively to one or the other of said sections or reservoirs.