Temperature adjustment mechanism, method for controlling temperature adjustment mechanism, and vehicle

Abstract

A temperature adjustment mechanism has: a case containing a power source and a first heat transfer medium for cooling the power source and integrated with or contacting a heat transfer portion; and a drive device for delivering the first heat transfer medium between the inside and the outside of the case. The drive device delivers the first heat transfer medium to the outside of the case to establish a first state in which a layer of a second heat transfer medium is created in a region of the case on the heat transfer portion side of the power source, and the drive device delivers the first heat transfer medium to the inside of the case to establish a second state in which at least a portion of the region of the case is filled with the first heat transfer medium.

1 . A temperature adjustment mechanism for adjusting a temperature of a power source, comprising:
 a case containing the power source and a liquid coolant, which is in contact with the outer face of the power source, as a first heat transfer medium for cooling the power source and integrated with or contacting a heat transfer portion; and   a drive device that is adapted to deliver the first heat transfer medium from the inside of the case to the outside of the case and from the outside of the case to the inside of the case, wherein   the drive device is adapted to deliver the first heat transfer medium from the inside of the case to the outside of the case so as to establish a first state in which a layer of a second heat transfer medium is created in a region on the heat transfer portion side of the power source in the case, the heat conductivity of the second heat transfer medium being lower than the heat conductivity of the first heat transfer medium,   the drive device is adapted to deliver, in the first state, the first heat transfer medium from the outside of the case to the inside of the case so as to establish a second state in which at least a portion of the region in the case is filled with the first heat transfer medium, and   the drive device is adapted to selectively establish the first state and the second state.   
   
   
       2 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the heat transfer portion is a portion through which heat can be transferred between the atmosphere and the power source.   
   
   
       3 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second heat transfer medium is gas.   
   
   
       4 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the case has an wall portion integrated with or contacting the heat transfer portion and having an inner face formed such that the area of contact between the inner face and the first heat transfer medium in the case varies continuously, or in steps, as the level of the first heat transfer medium in the case changes.   
   
   
       5 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the inner face of the wall portion of the case has a conical shape, a polygonal pyramid shape, or a stepped shape.   
   
   
       6 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of wall portions of the case other than a wall portion integrated with or contacting the heat transfer portion has a heat-insulating portion.   
   
   
       7 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller that controls the drive device.   
   
   
       8 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the controller is adapted to control the drive device based on information regarding the temperature of the power source and the temperature of the heat transfer portion.   
   
   
       9 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the controller controls the drive device so as to establish the first state when the temperature of the power source is higher than a first reference temperature and lower than the temperature of the heat transfer portion or when the temperature of the power source is lower than a second reference temperature and higher than the temperature of the heat transfer portion.   
   
   
       10 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a partition dividing the interior of the case into a first region containing the power source and the first heat transfer medium and a second region containing the first heat transfer medium, the layer of the second heat transfer medium being created in the second region.   
   
   
       11 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the drive device has a pump for delivering the first heat transfer medium and a container for storing the first heat transfer medium delivered to the outside of the case via the pump.   
   
   
       12 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the layer of the second heat transfer medium is in contact with the inner face of the wall portion integrated with or contacting the heat transfer portion.   
   
   
       13 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an agitating member for creating a flow of the first heat transfer medium in the case.   
   
   
       14 . A temperature adjustment mechanism for adjusting a temperature of a power source, comprising:
 a case containing the power source and a first heat transfer medium for cooling the power source and integrated with or contacting a heat transfer portion; and   a heat transfer medium container provided in the case, adapted to contain a second heat transfer medium having a heat conductivity lower than the heat conductivity of the first heat transfer medium, and being variable in volume according to the amount of the second heat transfer medium contained, wherein   the heat transfer medium container is adapted to be selectively placed in: a first state that is established by increasing the volume of the heat transfer medium container by delivering the second heat transfer medium into the heat transfer medium container such that, in the case, a layer of the second heat transfer medium is created in a region on the heat transfer portion side of the power source; and a second state that is established by reducing the volume of the heat transfer medium container by taking the second heat transfer medium out of the heat transfer medium container so that the first heat transfer medium can move to the region on the heat transfer portion side of the power source.   
   
   
       15 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a drive mechanism used to deliver the first heat transfer medium from the inside of the case to the outside as the volume of the heat transfer medium container increases and to deliver the first heat transfer medium from the outside of the case to the inside of the case as the volume of the heat transfer medium container decreases.   
   
   
       16 . The temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the heat transfer medium container is elastic.   
   
   
       17 . A method for controlling a temperature adjustment mechanism used to adjust a temperature of a power source and having a case containing the power source and a liquid coolant, which is in contact with the outer face of the power source, as a first heat transfer medium for cooling the power source, the case being integrated with or contacting a heat transfer portion, the method comprising:
 delivering the first heat transfer medium from the inside of the case to the outside of the case such that, in the case, a layer of a second heat transfer medium having a heat conductivity lower than the heat conductivity of the first heat transfer medium is created in a region on the heat transfer portion side of the power source in the case; and   delivering, after the layer of the second heat transfer medium has been created, the first heat transfer medium from the outside of the case to the inside of the case such that at least a portion of the region on the heat transfer portion side of the power source is filled with the first heat transfer medium.   
   
   
       18 . A method for controlling a temperature adjustment mechanism used to adjust the temperature of a power source, the temperature adjustment mechanism having: a case that contains the power source and a first heat transfer medium for cooling the power source and is integrated with or in contact with a heat transfer portion; and a heat transfer medium container provided in the case, adapted to contain a second heat transfer medium having a heat conductivity lower than the heat conductivity of the first heat transfer medium, and being variable in volume according to the amount of the second heat transfer medium contained, the method comprising:
 increasing the volume of the heat transfer medium container by delivering the second heat transfer medium into the heat transfer medium container such that, in the case, a layer of the second heat transfer medium is created in a region on the heat transfer portion side of the power source; and   reducing, after the layer of the second heat transfer medium has been created, the volume of the heat transfer medium container by taking the second heat transfer medium out of the heat transfer medium container so that the first heat transfer medium can move to the region on the heat transfer portion side of the power source.   
   
   
       19 . A vehicle comprising;
 the temperature adjustment mechanism according to  claim 1 .   
   
   
       20 . The vehicle according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the case is spaced from a body of the vehicle, and   the case and the body of the vehicle are connected via the heat transfer portion.   
   
   
       21 . The vehicle according to  claim 19 , wherein
 the heat transfer portion is a portion of a body of the vehicle.