A system and method for controlling the operation of a vehicle radiator fan motor is provided. One embodiment receives one of a low-speed radiator fan control signal or a high-speed radiator fan control signal from an engine control module; provides a first soft start of the radiator fan motor in response to receiving the low-speed radiator fan control signal, wherein the first soft start is defined by a first increasing power ramp that starts at a zero-power level and ends at a low-speed power level; and provides a second soft start of the radiator fan motor in response to receiving the high-speed radiator fan control signal, wherein the second soft start is defined by a second increasing power ramp that starts at the zero-power level and ends at a high-speed power level.

A surgical stapler including an anvil, a staple cartridge, and a buttress material removably retained to the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In various embodiments, the staple cartridge can include at least one staple removably stored therein which can, when deployed, or fired, therefrom, contact the buttress material and remove the buttress material from the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In at least one embodiment, the anvil can include at least one lip and/or groove configured to removably retain the buttress material to the anvil until deformable members extending from the surgical staple are bent by the anvil and are directed toward and contact the buttress material.

An auxiliary coolant pump for circulating a coolant in a vehicle thermal system having a main coolant pump includes a housing, an impeller, a motor selectively driving the impeller, a coolant inlet configured to receive the coolant, a coolant outlet fluidly coupled to the coolant inlet, and a bypass passage fluidly coupled between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet. When the main coolant pump is on, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned off such that coolant flows through the bypass passage to reduce or eliminate restriction of the coolant flow rate in the thermal system. When the main coolant pump is off, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned on such that coolant continues to flow through at least a portion of the thermal system.

An auxiliary coolant pump for circulating a coolant in a vehicle thermal system having a main coolant pump includes a housing, an impeller, a motor selectively driving the impeller, a coolant inlet configured to receive the coolant, a coolant outlet fluidly coupled to the coolant inlet, and a bypass passage fluidly coupled between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet. When the main coolant pump is on, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned off such that coolant flows through the bypass passage to reduce or eliminate restriction of the coolant flow rate in the thermal system. When the main coolant pump is off, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned on such that coolant continues to flow through at least a portion of the thermal system.

The housing includes fastening parts formed integrally with the housing main body and fastening holes formed in correspondence with the fastening parts. The housing main body is fixed to a heating element with fastening members passed through the fastening holes and screwed to the heating element. The fastening holes include at least three fastening holes. The opening of an inlet port is formed inside a triangle that is formed by connecting the three fastening holes.

A flow control valve apparatus switches a circulation direction of cooling medium according to a rotated position of a valve, and a disc provided in the valve controls the flow rate of the cooling medium flowing through a plurality of flow paths, so that the flow rate control of the cooling medium is diversified according to various conditions to improve cooling performance by efficiently circulating the cooling medium.

The present invention relates to a method (100) for cold start optimization of an internal combustion engine (10) comprising: determining (110) a start of an engine preheating device (12); transmitting (115) a selected coolant temperature T.sub.cool_trans to an engine control unit (14); and adapting (140) the selected coolant temperature T.sub.cool_trans transmitted to the engine control unit (14) to a current coolant temperature T.sub.coll_current during a time interval Δt following the start of the internal combustion engine (10). The present invention further relates to an auxiliary control unit (22) which is configured to execute the method (100).

A cooling system of an internal combustion engine includes a plurality of components in the form of heat sources, coolant pumps, actuator devices, and temperature sensors that are fluidically connected to one another via coolant lines, wherein a plurality of cooling circuits, each including at least one of the various components, is formed. In addition, a control device is provided that is in signal-conducting connection with at least one of the temperature sensors, with at least one of the coolant pumps, and with at least one of the actuator devices. The control device stores information concerning the association of the individual components with the various cooling circuits and their specific arrangement relative to one another in the individual cooling circuits, information concerning which of the coolant pumps during operation brings about a coolant flow in the individual cooling circuits, information concerning which actuator device(s) may be used to set a volume flow of the coolant by the individual heat sources, and information concerning a setpoint temperature that is stored for each of the heat sources, The control device also is designed to automatically set a volume flow of coolant through the heat sources that is required for reaching the setpoint temperatures, by appropriate control of the particular coolant pump(s) and actuator device(s).

Methods and systems are provided for a cooling arrangement. In one example, the cooling arrangement comprises flowing coolant to only an upper portion of a cylinder head during a cold-start. The cooling arrangement comprises flowing coolant to a cylinder block, a lower portion of the cylinder-head, and the upper portion of the cylinder head outside of the cold-start.

A vehicle thermal management system includes an Integrated Thermal Management Valve (ITM) for receiving engine coolant through a coolant inlet connected to an engine coolant outlet of an engine, and for distributing the engine coolant flowing out toward a radiator through a coolant outlet flow path connected to a heat exchange system. The heat exchange system includes at least one among a heater core, an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler, an oil warmer, an Auto Transmission Fluid (ATF) warmer, and the radiator. The thermal management system includes a water pump positioned at the front end of the engine coolant inlet of the engine and a coolant branch flow path branched at the front end of an engine coolant inlet to be connected to the coolant outlet flow path.