Flow control

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for controlling the flow through an oil cooler, comprising at least one oil tank ( 1 ) and at least one oil pump ( 7 ), a means ( 12 ) for determining the oil temperature, a cooling means ( 4 ) for cooling the oil, wherein said means ( 4 ) can be circumvented via a bypass ( 9 ), as well as an engine control unit ( 13 ). The device has a means ( 11 ), controllable via the engine control unit ( 13 ) by which the oil flow can be controlled via the means for cooling ( 4 ) and/or via the bypass ( 9 ). The device further comprises a means for predictively controlling the oil flow via the cooling means ( 4 ) and/or via the bypass ( 9 ).

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An oil cooling arrangement comprising:
 a first transmission oil cooling circuit including a first oil pump, a first oil tank, a first oil temperature sensing means and an oil cooler;   a second separate oil cooling circuit for hydraulic consumers including a second oil pump, a second oil tank and a second oil temperature sensing means;   the two circuits being thermally interconnected by a heater exchanger through which both circuits flow separately;   by pass means in the first circuit for bypassing flow in the first circuit around the cooler and heat exchanger;   by pass means in the second circuit for bypassing flow in the second circuit around the heat exchanger, and   control means arranged to receive signals from the first and second temperature sensing means and for opening at least one of the bypass means in a predictable manner dependent on the temperature signals received by the control means.   
     
     
         11 . An arrangement according to  claim 10  in which the cooler and heat exchanger in the first circuit each have their own bypass means which is controlled by the control means and the heat exchanger has its own bypass means in the second circuit also controlled by the control means. 
     
     
         12 . An arrangement according to  claim 11  in which the bypass means each comprise solenoid operated fluid flow control valves connected in parallel to the cooler and heat exchanger in the first and second circuits. 
     
     
         13 . An arrangement according to  claim 10  in which the cooler and heat exchanger each have their own by-pass means in the first and second circuits, the bypass means for the heat exchanger in the first and second circuits comprising solenoid operated fluid flow control valves operated by the control means, and the by pass means for the cooler comprises a spring loaded check valve. 
     
     
         14 . An arrangement according to  claim 10  in which the cooler and heat exchanger have a single by pass means which by passes both the cooler and heat exchanger and which is operated by the control means. 
     
     
         15 . An arrangement according to  claim 10  in which the single by pass means comprises a single solenoid operated fluid flow control valve controlled by the control means. 
     
     
         16 . An arrangement according to  claim 14  in which the by pass means for the heat exchanger in the second circuit comprises a solenoid operated fluid flow control valve controlled by the control means.