IP Library Granted Patent US 7,953,520
Granted Patent B2
US 7,953,520 · App. 12/224,422 · Granted May 31, 2011

Cooling fan controller for controlling revolving fan based on fluid temperature and air temperature

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,953,520
App. No.
12/224,422
Granted
May 31, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cooling fan controller is provided for controlling the revolving speed of a cooling fan that introduces outside air as a cooling wind to cool a fluid being cooled; in order to optimally control the revolving speed if the cooling fan in accordance with load, and to suppress noise caused by the cooling fan. The cooling fan controller includes a fluid temperature sensor 40 for sensing a temperature T o of the fluid, an air temperature sensor 30 for sensing a temperature T a of the air, and a control 20 for calculating a difference between the fluid temperature T o sensed by the fluid temperature sensor 40 and the air temperature T a sensed by the air temperature sensor 30 , and setting a target revolving speed N f of the cooling fan in accordance with a magnitude of the calculated difference.

Claims (36)

1. A cooling fan controller for controlling a revolving speed of a cooling fan that introduces outside air as a cooling wind to cool a fluid being cooled, comprising:

a fluid temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of said fluid;

an air temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of said air; and

a control unit having,

a calculating unit that calculates a difference between said fluid temperature sensed by said fluid temperature sensor and said air temperature sensed by said air temperature sensor,

a first setting unit that sets a first target revolving speed of said cooling fan in accordance with said fluid temperature sensed by said fluid temperature sensor, and

a second setting unit that sets a second target revolving speed of said cooling fan in accordance with a magnitude of said calculated difference,

wherein said control unit controls the revolving speed of said cooling fan on the basis of said first target revolving speed and said second target revolving speed.

2. The cooling fan controller as set forth in claim 1 , wherein

said second setting unit compares said calculated difference with a first reference difference and a second reference difference greater than said first reference difference as reference values;

said second target revolving speed has a first minimum revolving speed as a first lower limit value and has a first maximum revolving speed as a first upper limit value; and

said control unit

if said difference is less than or equal to said first reference difference, sets said second target revolving speed at said first minimum revolving speed,

if said difference is greater than said second reference difference, sets said second target revolving speed at said first maximum revolving speed, and

if said difference is greater than said first reference difference and less than or equal to said second reference difference, sets said second target revolving speed at a revolving speed linearly interpolated between said first minimum revolving speed and said first maximum revolving speed in accordance with a magnitude of said difference.

3. The cooling fan controller as set forth in claim 2 , wherein

said first setting unit compares said fluid temperature sensed by said fluid temperature sensor with at least one reference fluid temperature;

said at least one reference fluid temperature includes a first reference fluid temperature and a second reference fluid temperature higher than said first reference fluid temperature as reference values;

said first target revolving speed further has a second minimum revolving speed as a second lower limit value and further has a second maximum revolving speed as a second upper limit value; and

said control unit

if said fluid temperature is lower than or equal to said first reference fluid temperature, sets said first target revolving speed at said second minimum revolving speed,

if said fluid temperature is higher than said second reference fluid temperature, sets said first target revolving speed at said second maximum revolving speed, and

if said fluid temperature is higher than said first reference fluid temperature and lower than or equal to said second reference fluid temperature, sets said first target revolving speed at a revolving speed linearly interpolated between said second minimum revolving speed and said second maximum revolving speed in accordance with the magnitude of said fluid temperature, and

sets the greater one of the first target revolving speed and the second target revolving speed as a final target revolving speed.

4. A working machinery, comprising:

the cooling fan controller as set forth in claim 1 .

5. The working machinery as set forth in claim 4 , wherein

said fluid is hydraulic operating oil employed for operation and travel of said working machinery.

6. A working machinery, comprising:

the cooling fan controller as set forth in claim 2 .

7. The working machinery as set forth in claim 6 , wherein

said fluid is hydraulic operating oil employed for operation and travel of said working machinery.

8. A working machinery, comprising:

the cooling fan controller as set forth in claim 3 .

9. The cooling fan controller for working machinery as set forth in claim 8 , wherein

said fluid is hydraulic operating oil employed for operation and travel of said working machinery.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2010
From: CATERPILLAR JAPAN LTD.
To: CATERPILLAR S.A.R.L.
Reel/Frame 024235/0446 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2008
From: HAYASHI, YOSHIHIKO
To: CATERPILLAR JAPAN LTD.
Reel/Frame 021476/0752 →