IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,750,989
Granted Patent B2
US 12,750,989 · App. 18/584,579 · Granted Sep 29, 2026

Electric drive system of a motor vehicle and method for controlling the temperature of drive system components of such an electric drive system

Inventors: Leon Kocherscheid (Wolfsburg, DE); Johannes Bunkus (Hoetensleben OT Barneberg, DE)
Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
H05K7/20945H05K7/20845
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,750,989
App. No.
18/584,579
Granted
Sep 29, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electric drive system of a motor vehicle and method for controlling the temperature of components of such an electric drive system, of a motor vehicle which has at least an electrical energy storage system, at least one power electronics unit, and at least one electrical machine for driving at least one drive wheel of the motor vehicle. The electrical energy storage system, the power electronics and the electrical machine each constitute a drive system component of the drive system and are functionally coupled with each other. At least two of the drive system components are part of an optimization module, which is designed to perform a performance-optimized relative temperature control of the drive system components. The invention also relates to a method of controlling the temperature of drive system components of such an electric drive system.

Claims (19)

1 . An electric drive system of a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one electric energy storage system;

at least one power electronics; and

at least one electrical machine to drive at least one drive wheel of the motor vehicle,

wherein the at least one electrical energy storage system, the at least one power electronics and the at least one electrical machine each constitute a drive system component of the electric drive system and are functionally coupled with each other,

wherein at least two of the drive system components are part of an optimization module, which is configured to perform a performance-optimized relative temperature control of the at least two drive system components,

wherein the optimization module has at least two temperature detection units and at least one switching device coupled to a temperature control device in order to operate the at least one switching device as needed depending on actual temperature values recorded by the at least two temperature detection units, and

wherein, in the performance-optimized relative temperature control of the optimization module, a current performance of the at least two drive system components is determined in dependence on a current component temperature, a currently deliverable power of the at least two drive system components is compared in order to determine which of the at least two drive system components delivers the lowest power, and a temperature of the drive system component that delivers the lowest power is controlled.

2 . The electric drive system according to claim 1 , wherein each type of drive system component has a respective, separately controllable temperature control device.

3 . The electric drive system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two drive system components are functionally coupled with a common temperature control device.

4 . The electric drive system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two of the drive system components is provided with a respective bypass, wherein, via the at least one switching device, each bypass is brought into an open or closed configuration as needed.

5 . The electric drive system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one active cooler and/or at least one active heater is provided.

6 . The electric drive system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one additional tempering medium is provided.

7 . A method for controlling a temperature of at least two drive system components comprising an electrical energy storage system, power electronics, and an electrical machine for driving at least one drive wheel of a motor vehicle, which are part of an optimization module of an electric drive system of the motor vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a current performance of the at least two drive system components in dependence on a current component temperature;

comparing a currently deliverable power of the at least two drive system components in order to determine which of the at least two drive system components delivers the lowest power; and

controlling a temperature of the drive system component that was determined in the comparison step, and continuous or discontinuous repeating the step of determining.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein, instead of the step of comparing or before the step of comparing, checking whether a drive system component or several drive system components are able to currently only deliver power below a specified temperature-dependent limit value and if this is true, all the drive system components are temperature-controlled.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein, in the optimization module there is a map with operating points and associated control commands in order to initiate a relative temperature control of the drive system components triggered by predetermined control commands in dependence on determined operating points of the drive system component.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2024
From: KOCHERSCHEID, LEON; BUNKUS, JOHANNES
To: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 067669/0227 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2023 201 549.8 · Feb 22, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240284646A1 · Aug 22, 2024
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