IP Library Granted Patent US 12668102
Granted Patent B2
US 12668102 · App. 18/824,909 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Heat management device for vehicle

Inventor: Ryo Nakabayashi (Susono, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60H1/00899B60H1/00278B60H1/143B60H1/00385
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12668102
App. No.
18/824,909
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

When switching from the first mode in which there is a heating request for the air conditioner and there is a cooling request for the battery to the second mode in which there is a heating request for the air conditioner and there is no cooling request for the battery, the opening degree of the electric expansion valve of the refrigerant circuit is reduced for a predetermined period. Then, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the mode is switched from the first mode to the second mode.

Claims (15)

1 . A heat management device for a vehicle, the heat management device comprising:

a refrigerant circuit that includes a compressor for compressing and discharging refrigerant flowing out from a chiller, a condenser for dissipating heat of the refrigerant discharged from the compressor, and an expansion valve for depressurizing the refrigerant flowing out from the condenser, in which the chiller performs heat exchange between the refrigerant depressurizing by the expansion valve and a low-temperature side heat medium;

a low-temperature side circuit that includes a heat exchanger that causes the low-temperature side heat medium to absorb heat of a battery, heat of a vehicle drive device, and heat of outside air;

an air conditioner that performs heating by utilizing heat dissipation at the condenser; and

a control device, wherein

the control device is configured to,

in a first state in which a heating request is made and a cooling request for the battery is also made, control an opening degree of the expansion valve to a predetermined opening degree, such that cooling of the battery and the heating are executed, by performing heat exchange between the refrigerant and the low-temperature side heat medium that absorbed the heat of the battery, at the chiller, and

when switching from the first state to a second state in which the heating request is made but no cooling request is made, switch from the first state to the second state following the opening degree of the expansion valve being set to a smaller opening degree than the predetermined opening degree for a predetermined period, and

in the second state, the low-temperature side heat medium does not flow into the heat exchanger of the battery.

2 . The heat management device according to claim 1 , wherein, in the second state, the heating is executed by the refrigerant performing heat exchange with the low-temperature side heat medium that absorbed heat of at least one of the vehicle drive device and the outside air, in the chiller.

3 . The heat management device according to claim 2 , wherein, when switching from the first state to the second state, the control device controls the opening degree of the expansion valve to a smaller opening degree than the predetermined opening degree for the predetermined period when temperature of the low-temperature side heat medium flowing into the chiller is predicted to decrease by a predetermined temperature or more.

4 . The heat management device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device

controls the opening degree of the expansion valve such that a degree of superheat of the refrigerant flowing out from the chiller becomes a target value, and

during the predetermined period, controls the opening degree of the expansion valve to be smaller than the predetermined opening degree, by incrementally correcting the target value.

5 . The heat management device according to claim 4 , wherein the control device is configured to increase a rotational speed of the compressor during the predetermined period.