Electronic thermostat

Abstract

An electronic thermostat apparatus for controlling a temperature of a coolant of an engine in a vehicle may include a housing connected to a plurality of flow paths through which the coolant of the engine flows, a wax case installed inside the housing and provided with a wax accommodation space therein, a glow plug heater inserted in a wax filled inside the wax accommodation space and configured to generate heat by receiving an external power, a driving body engaged to the wax case and moving according to deformation of the wax by the heat of the glow plug heater, a main valve engaged to the driving body and configured to open/close a radiator-side flow path by a movement of the driving body, and an elastic member elastically biasing the main valve to the radiator-side flow path.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0036932 filed on Apr. 9, 2012, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to an electronic thermostat, and more particularly, to an electronic thermostat capable of rapidly reaching a target temperature by employing a glow plug type heater.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]In general, a thermostat for a vehicle is installed between an engine and a radiator, and is automatically opened / closed according to a change in a temperature of a coolant to adjust a flow rate flowing toward the engine, thus serving to maintain an appropriate temperature of the coolant.[0006]Most of the thermostats for a vehicle in the related art are a mechanical thermostat having a structure in which power by expansion of wax is transferred to a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing an electronic thermostat capable of controlling a temperature of a coolant in real time and maximizing an effect of improving fuel efficiency of a vehicle by improving a control response characteristic of the electronic thermostat.

Problems solved by technology

Accordingly, in consideration recent demands of implementing high performance and high efficiency of a vehicle, there is a limit in actively handling a change in a driving environment or other conditions of the vehicle.

In the electronic thermostat generating heat by using the film resistant heater and the like in the related art, it takes approximately 50 to 70 seconds to reach a target temperature of 300 to 350° C. It takes a great deal of time to reach the target temperature, so that there is a problem in that it is impossible to control a temperature of the coolant in real time and it is difficult to maximize an effect of improving fuel efficiency of a vehicle.

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