Patent ID: 7107954

Claim:
An internal combustion engine having a thermal storage device comprising: an engine main body having a cylinder block, a cylinder head and a cooling flow path through which heat medium flows to cool the engine; a thermal storage tank for storing heat medium warmed by the engine while keeping its heat; and a heating flow path for feeding heat medium that has been stored in the thermal storage tank into the interior of the engine main body; wherein a communication channel for allowing fluid communication between the cylinder block and the cylinder head is provided at one end side of the engine main body; said cooling flow path includes a first flow path that allows heat medium to flow into the cylinder block from the one end side of the engine main body, to flow by way of the other end side of the engine main body, and then to flow into the cylinder head through the communication channel provided at the one end side of said engine main body, and a second flow path that allows heat medium to flow into the cylinder block from the one end side of the engine main body and to flow into the cylinder head directly through said communication channel; and said heating flow path is provided in such a way that heat medium supplied from said thermal storage tank to enter into the cylinder block from the other end side of the engine main body.