Patent Description:
The invention can be applied in heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses and construction equipment. Although the invention will be described with respect to a heavy-duty vehicle, the invention is not restricted to this particular vehicle, but may also be used in other vehicles such as passenger vehicles.

Motor vehicles are equipped with numerous electrically controllable components, including everything from smaller electrical motors for operating windows, windscreen wipers and doors; actuators used in relation to the engine of the motor vehicle or for controlling elements of a break system; light sources for interior and/or exterior lighting; and similar. Typically, such electrically controllable components are activated/deactivated by a user operating an electrical switch, or automatically as a result of a determination made by electronic control units (ECU) integrated into the motor vehicle based on e.g. data received from monitoring sensors, the sensors also being integrated into the motor vehicle.

Typically, several electronic control units are integrated into an ECU compartment generally named fuse relay compartment (FRC), generally disposed in an electric center of the motor vehicle, for example behind the instrument panel (IP) of the motor vehicle, where other components such as vehicular air conditioning devices are located. The ECU compartment is a housing for at least one ECU, for example seven or more ECUs.

Electronic devices such as ECUs work reliably when they are at their respective operating temperatures, where "operating temperature" describes an allowed temperature range in which the ECU works optimally, without suffering any damage and in a high efficiency manner. Working reliably is indispensable especially in cases of ECU for controlling an electronic device used to promote driving safety.

Since ECUs dissipate heat when in operation, the more ECUs in an ECU compartment, the higher the temperature inside the ECU compartment. Therefore, especially with TEA3 architectures, it can be difficult to control the temperature inside the ECU compartment. Under certain severe conditions, for example with high ambient temperature and/or strong sunlight, the increase of heat load can lead to temperatures of over <NUM>-<NUM> in the electric center. Such high temperatures can result in degradation of ECUs performance and even failure. Therefore, the functioning of the motor vehicle can be altered.

It is very important to control the temperature around ECUs.

It is known to control the temperature of an ECU by using a cooling system comprising a device for extracting air from inside the motor vehicle, for example from a driver's cab or a cargo space, and for supplying the extracted air to the ECU. Examples for ECU cooling systems can be found in <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

The purpose of the invention is to improve the heat control inside the ECU compartment, and therefore to enable having numerous ECUs inside the ECU compartment.

An object of the invention is to provide a cooling system for at least one electronic control unit of a motor vehicle, which cooling system maintains an allowed temperature range in order to ensure reliable operation of the at least one electronic control unit According to a first aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a cooling system for at least one electronic control unit of a motor vehicle according to claim <NUM>.

By the provision of a cooling system which comprises an air circulation duct comprising a first inlet configured to be connected to a vehicular air conditioning device, and a second inlet configured to be connected to inside a driver's cab of the motor vehicle, the heat control of the at least one electronic control unit is improved.

According to one embodiment, the first inlet comprises a first closing element movable between an open position and a closed position of the first inlet. Hereby the opening of the first inlet can be controlled.

According to the invention, the second inlet comprises a second closing element movable between an open position and a closed position of the second inlet. Hereby the opening of the second inlet can be controlled.

Therefore, an operator can select to supply air to the at least one electronic control unit from the driver's cab of the motor vehicle and/or from the vehicular air conditioning device.

According to the invention, a fan is positioned within the air circulation duct.

Hereby, the air circulation from the driver's cab of the motor vehicle and/or from the vehicular air conditioning device, to the at least one electronic control unit is enhanced.

According to the invention, the fan is disposed downstream the first and second inlets.

According to the invention, the second closing element is movable between the open and the closed position based on a suction force generated by the fan of the air circulation duct.

According to the invention, the first closing element is movable between the open and the closed position based on an airflow force generated by an airflow circulated from the vehicular air conditioning device.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a motor vehicle according to claim <NUM>.

According to one embodiment, the motor vehicle comprises a driver's cab, and the vehicular air conditioning device, the at least one electronic control unit and the cooling system are located in the driver's cab.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a method according to claim <NUM>.

According to the invention, the method is a method for cooling at least one electronic control unit of a motor vehicle via a cooling system as described above.

According to one embodiment, the method further comprises the step of controlling the first closing element based on an airflow force generated by an airflow circulated from the vehicular air conditioning device, and/or controlling the second closing element based on a suction force generated by the fan of the air circulation duct.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a computer program according to claim <NUM>.

According to the invention, the program code means is configured to operate the first and/or second closing elements of a cooling system as described above.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a computer readable medium according to claim <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrate a cooling system <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention. The cooling system <NUM> is a cooling system for at least one electronic control unit (ECU) <NUM> of a motor vehicle <NUM> (<FIG>). For example, the cooling system <NUM> can be a cooling system for several ECUs <NUM>, for example for three ECUs <NUM> (<FIG>). For example, the cooling system <NUM> can be a cooling system for more than seven ECUs <NUM> (<FIG>).

More particularly, <FIG> show a dashboard <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM>. The dashboard <NUM> comprises an electric center <NUM> and a vehicular air conditioning device <NUM>. The electric center <NUM> can be positioned behind an instrument panel (not shown). The electric center <NUM> can comprise at least one ECU <NUM>. The vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> can be activated or deactivated, for example depending on the temperature of outside air. The vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> can be a HVAC.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the cooling system <NUM> for the at least one ECU <NUM> comprises a housing <NUM> for the at least one ECU <NUM>. An air circulation duct <NUM> can be connected to the housing <NUM> to supply air to the at least one ECU <NUM>. The air circulation duct <NUM> can be configured to supply air to the housing <NUM>. The housing <NUM> can comprise the air circulation duct <NUM>.

More precisely, the air circulation duct <NUM> comprises:.

The air circulation duct <NUM> can comprise an air distribution compartment <NUM> configured to supply air to the at least one ECU <NUM>. The air distribution compartment <NUM> can be configured to supply air to the housing <NUM>. The air distribution compartment <NUM> of the air circulation duct <NUM> can comprise at least one opening <NUM> configured to supply air to the at least one ECU <NUM>. The air distribution compartment <NUM> can comprise for example four openings <NUM>. The air circulation duct <NUM> can comprise an air circulation area <NUM> emerging into the air distribution compartment <NUM>, in order to supply air to the air distribution compartment <NUM>. The air distribution compartment <NUM> can be placed below the electric center, for example below the housing <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> can be a support for the at least one ECU <NUM>. The housing <NUM> can be a support configured to maintain the at least one ECU and preferably several ECUs. The housing <NUM> can be a closed compartment in which the at least one ECU is disposed. The housing <NUM> can be named a distribution box.

The first inlet <NUM> can comprise a first closing element <NUM>. The first closing element <NUM> can be movable between an open position (<FIG>) and a closed position (<FIG>) of the first inlet <NUM>.

According to the invention, the second inlet <NUM> comprises a second closing element <NUM>. The second closing element <NUM> is movable between an open position (<FIG>) and a closed position (<FIG>) of the second inlet <NUM>.

The first closing element <NUM> can be an auto operative flap and the second closing element <NUM> is formed as a auto operative flap, such as a rubber flap. The first closing element <NUM> and the second closing element <NUM> are configured to provide air flow to the at least one ECU <NUM>, from different zones of the motor vehicle. More precisely, as described above, the first closing element <NUM> is configured to provide air flow to the at least one ECU <NUM> from the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM>, and the second closing element <NUM> is configured to provide air flow to the at least one ECU <NUM> from the driver's cab <NUM>.

According to the invention, a fan <NUM> is positioned within the air circulation duct <NUM>, downstream the first inlet <NUM> and the second inlet <NUM>, upstream the distribution compartment. The fan <NUM> is configured to generate a suction force of air. The fan <NUM> can be a booster fan. The fan <NUM> can operate at different speeds depending on airflow circulating in the air circulation duct <NUM>. The fan <NUM> can therefore generate different suction forces of air, depending on the fan speed.

The first closing element <NUM> can be configured to move between the open and the closed position based on an airflow force generated by an airflow circulated from the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM>. For example, the first closing element <NUM> can be in the open position if the airflow force is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The predetermined value can be <NUM>/s or above.

According to the invention, the second closing element <NUM> can move between the open and the closed position based on the suction force generated by the fan <NUM> of the air circulation duct <NUM>. For example, the second closing element <NUM> can be in the open position if the suction force is equal to or greater than a threshold. The threshold can be <NUM>/s.

Alternatively, the cooling system <NUM> can comprise a first controller (not represented) configured to move the first closing element <NUM> between the open position and the closed position. Not according to the invention, the cooling system <NUM> can comprise a second controller (not represented) configured to move the second closing element <NUM> between the open position and the closed position. The first controller and the second controller can be a unique controller (not represented). The unique controller can be configured to move the first closing element <NUM> between the open position and the closed position.

<FIG> illustrates a motor vehicle <NUM> comprising an air conditioning device <NUM> and at least one ECU <NUM>. For example, the ECU can be an ECU for operating actuators used in relation to the engine of the motor vehicle or for controlling elements of a break system. Moreover, the motor vehicle <NUM> comprises a cooling system <NUM> for the at least one ECU <NUM>. The motor vehicle <NUM> can comprise a driver's cab <NUM> comprising the air conditioning device <NUM>, the at least one ECU <NUM> and the cooling system <NUM>.

The cooling system <NUM> can operate according to a method according to claim <NUM> comprising the steps of.

The step of blowing air from the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> to the at least one ECU <NUM> can be performed when the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is activated. The step of blowing air from the driver's cab <NUM> of the motor vehicle <NUM> to the at least one ECU <NUM> can be performed when the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is deactivated.

The cooling system <NUM> is a cooling system <NUM> as described above. The method can comprise a step of controlling the first closing element <NUM> in the open position when the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is activated. The method can comprise a step of controlling the first closing element <NUM> in the closed position when the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is deactivated.

Alternatively, the method can be performed via a cooling system comprising for example two air circulation ducts: a first air circulation duct connected to the air conditioning device <NUM>, and a second air circulation duct connected to inside the driver's cab <NUM>.

The motor vehicle <NUM> can comprise a computer program comprising program code means for performing the steps of the method for cooling at least one ECU as described above when said program is run on a computer. The program code means can be configured to operate the first <NUM> closing element of the cooling system <NUM>.

The motor vehicle <NUM> can comprise a computer readable medium carrying a computer program comprising program code means for performing the steps of the method for cooling at least one ECU as described above when said program product is run on a computer.

The operation of the cooling system <NUM> as described above is now specified.

When the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is activated, cold air is drawn from the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> and supplied to the at least one ECU, through the air circulation duct <NUM>. The vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> generally comprises a blower. The fan <NUM> of the cooling system <NUM> can work in synchronization with the blower of the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM>, in order to provide a desired cold airflow to the at least one ECU.

More precisely, when the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is activated, the cold air drawn from the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM>, for example through the blower, generates an airflow force through the air circulation duct <NUM>. The airflow force controls the opening of the first closing element <NUM>. Moreover, when the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is activated, the second closing element <NUM> can be in the closed position. The second closing element <NUM> in the closed position ensures that there is no leakage of cold air. If the airflow force is lower than a predetermined value, the second closing element can be in the open position. If the airflow force is lower than the predetermined value, the fan speed is increased, and a suction force is generated by the fan. The suction force controls the opening of the second closing element <NUM>.

When the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is deactivated, there is no cold air circulating from the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM>, and the first closing element <NUM> is in the closed position. Therefore, the fan speed is increased, and a suction force is generated by the fan. The suction force controls the opening of the second closing element <NUM>.

Alternatively, the first controller can be configured to move the first closing element <NUM> to the open position when the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is activated. The first controller can be configured to move the first closing element <NUM> to the closed position when the vehicular air conditioning device <NUM> is deactivated.

Claim 1:
A cooling system (<NUM>) for at least one electronic control unit (<NUM>) of a motor vehicle (<NUM>), the cooling system (<NUM>) comprising a housing (<NUM>) for the at least one electronic control unit (<NUM>), the housing (<NUM>) comprising an air circulation duct (<NUM>) configured to supply air to the at least one electronic control unit (<NUM>), wherein the air circulation duct (<NUM>) comprises:
- a first inlet (<NUM>) configured to be connected to a vehicular air conditioning device (<NUM>), and
- a second inlet (<NUM>) configured to be connected to inside a driver's cab (<NUM>) of the motor vehicle (<NUM>),
- a fan (<NUM>) being positioned within the air circulation duct (<NUM>), downstream the first (<NUM>) and second (<NUM>) inlets,
- the second inlet (<NUM>) comprising a second closing element (<NUM>) movable between an open position and a closed position of the second inlet (<NUM>);
characterized in that the second closing (<NUM>) element is movable between the open and the closed position based on a suction force generated by the fan (<NUM>) of the air circulation duct (<NUM>).