US 11,867,286 B1
Transmission fluid temperature control system
Raymond Theodore Gage, Northville, MI (US); Derek Kinch, Ypsilanti, MI (US); and Sylvia Chen, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Jun. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/844,248.
Int. Cl. F16H 57/04 (2010.01); F16H 61/4043 (2010.01); F16H 61/02 (2006.01); F16H 61/00 (2006.01); F16H 61/4165 (2010.01); F16H 45/02 (2006.01)
CPC F16H 61/4043 (2013.01) [F16H 57/0417 (2013.01); F16H 57/0435 (2013.01); F16H 61/0003 (2013.01); F16H 61/0025 (2013.01); F16H 61/0251 (2013.01); F16H 61/4165 (2013.01); F16H 45/02 (2013.01); F16H 57/0413 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle comprising;
a powerplant configured to generate power to propel the vehicle;
drive wheels;
a heat exchanger;
a transmission configured to transfer the power from the powerplant to the drive wheels, the transmission having,
at least one clutch,
a primary circuit configured direct fluid to the at least one clutch to actuate the at least one clutch,
a secondary circuit configured to (i) divert the fluid from the primary circuit and (ii) deliver the fluid to the heat exchanger, and
a valve configured to control flow of the fluid from the primary circuit to the secondary circuit, wherein the valve is configured to (i) close to isolate the secondary circuit from the primary circuit and (ii) open to direct fluid from the primary circuit to the secondary circuit,
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the fluid;
a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect a vehicle speed; and
a controller programmed to,
in response to receiving a signal from the temperature sensor indicating that the temperature of the fluid is outside of a desired range, open the valve to direct the fluid toward the heat exchanger via the secondary circuit,
in response to receiving a signal from the temperature sensor indicating that the temperature of the fluid is within the desired range, close the valve to isolate the fluid from the secondary circuit and the heat exchanger, and
in response to receiving (i) the signal from the temperature sensor indicating that the temperature of the fluid is outside of the desired range and (ii) a signal from the vehicle speed sensor indicative of the vehicle speed, adjust a position of the valve based on the vehicle speed to adjust a flow rate of the fluid from the primary circuit to the secondary circuit to (a) control heat transfer to or from the fluid via the heat exchanger and (b) drive the temperature of the fluid toward the desired range.