Agricultural working vehicle with air scoop for air intake system

• US 20070012000A1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Sheidler, Alan, Park, Yong, Keys, Gary, Shannon, Robert, Chaney, Mark, Maas, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,507,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/385.300
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/02 concerning intake
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0431 Details or means to guide the ambient air to the heat exchanger, e.g. having a fan, flaps, a bypass or a special location in the engine compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/022 acting by gravity, by centrifugal, or by other inertial forces, e.g. with moistened walls
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/04 specially arranged with respect to engine , to intake system or specially adapted to vehicle; Mounting thereon ; Combinations with other devices combined with silencers F02M35/14
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10013 Means upstream of the air filter; Connection to the ambient air
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/164 Heavy duty vehicles, e.g. trucks, trains, agricultural or construction machines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A working vehicle, such as an agricultural combine, includes a vehicle body and an internal combustion engine carried by the vehicle body. The internal combustion engine includes a heat exchanger. An air scoop has an inlet positioned near a top of the vehicle body and facing in an upward direction, and an outlet positioned in association with the heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A working vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

an internal combustion engine carried by said vehicle body, said internal combustion engine including a heat exchanger; and

an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet positioned near a top of said vehicle body and facing in an upward direction, said outlet positioned in association with said heat exchanger.

2. The working vehicle of claim 1, further including a rotary screen positioned at said air scoop outlet, upstream from said heat exchanger.

3. The working vehicle of claim 2, wherein said air scoop outlet has a cross section approximating said rotary screen.

4. The working vehicle of claim 2, wherein said rotary screen includes a vacuum.

5. The working vehicle of claim 1, wherein said air scoop has a generally L shaped flow path from said inlet to said outlet, directing air from a generally vertically downward direction to a generally horizontal direction.

6. The working vehicle of claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger includes at least one of a radiator and a charge air cooler.

7. The working vehicle of claim 1, wherein said vehicle body includes an engine compartment, said internal combustion engine positioned at least partially within said engine compartment.

8. The working vehicle of claim 7, wherein said internal combustion engine is substantially fully enclosed within said engine compartment.

9. The working vehicle of claim 8, wherein said engine compartment is an engine housing carried by said vehicle body.

10. The working vehicle of claim 1, wherein said internal combustion engine is substantially enclosed within an engine compartment, and further including an air exhaust chimney in fluid communication with and extending from said engine compartment.

11. The working vehicle of claim 10, wherein said air scoop outlet is positioned at one end of said engine compartment, and said air exhaust chimney is positioned at an opposite end of said engine compartment.

12. The working vehicle of claim 11, wherein said internal combustion engine is mounted transversely within said vehicle body, said air scoop outlet is positioned on one side of said vehicle body, and said exhaust chimney is positioned on an opposite side of said vehicle body.

13. The working vehicle of claim 10, wherein said air exhaust chimney has an outlet positioned near said top of said vehicle body.

14. The working vehicle of claim 10, wherein said air exhaust chimney has an upwardly opening outlet, and said internal combustion engine includes an exhaust outlet positioned within said air exhaust chimney.

15. The working vehicle of claim 1, wherein said air scoop has a generally semi-circular inlet and a generally U-shaped outlet.

16. The working vehicle of claim 15, wherein said air scoop has an outer wall with a curved transition between said inlet and said outlet.

17. The working vehicle of claim 15, wherein said outlet faces in a generally horizontal direction.

18. The working vehicle of claim 1, wherein said working vehicle comprises an agricultural combine.

19. An internal combustion engine assembly, comprising:

an internal combustion engine including a heat exchanger;

an engine housing at least partially enclosing said internal combustion engine;

an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, said air scoop inlet positioned above said engine housing and facing in an upward direction, said air scoop outlet positioned in fluid communication with said engine housing and facing toward said heat exchanger; and

an air exhaust chimney having an inlet and an outlet, said air exhaust chimney inlet in fluid communication with said engine housing, said air exhaust chimney outlet positioned above said engine housing and facing in an upward direction.

20. The internal combustion engine assembly of claim 19, wherein said air scoop has a generally L shaped flow path from said air scoop inlet to said air scoop outlet, directing air from a generally vertically downward direction to a generally horizontal direction.

21. The internal combustion engine assembly of claim 19, wherein said heat exchanger includes at least one of a radiator and a charge air cooler.

22. The internal combustion engine assembly of claim 19, wherein said air scoop outlet is positioned at one end of said engine housing, and said air exhaust chimney inlet is positioned at an opposite end of said engine housing.

23. The internal combustion engine assembly of claim 19, wherein said internal combustion engine includes an exhaust outlet positioned within said air exhaust chimney.

24. A method of operating a working vehicle including a vehicle body, an internal combustion engine carried by the vehicle body, and a heat exchanger associated with the internal combustion engine, said method comprising the steps of:

drawing air through an air scoop having an inlet and an outlet, said air scoop inlet positioned near a top of the vehicle body and facing in an upward direction, said air scoop outlet positioned in association with the heat exchanger and in fluid communication with one end of an engine housing at least partially enclosing the internal combustion engine;

flowing the air from the one end of the engine housing to an opposite end of the engine housing past the internal combustion engine; and

exhausting the air at the opposite end of the engine housing through an air exhaust chimney including an outlet, said air exhaust chimney outlet positioned near the top of the vehicle body.

25. The method of operating a working vehicle of claim 24, wherein said air exhaust chimney outlet faces upward, and including the step of exhausting exhaust gas from an exhaust outlet of the internal combustion engine through said air exhaust chimney.

26. The method of operating a working vehicle of claim 25, wherein said air exhaust chimney outlet is positioned to inhibit a reintroduction of exhaust gas to the air scoop inlet when in a cross wind operating condition.

27. The method of operating a working vehicle of claim 24, including the step of removing debris from the air using a rotary screen positioned at said air scoop outlet, upstream from the heat exchanger, said rotary screen including a vacuum.

28. The method of operating a working vehicle of claim 27, wherein said air scoop includes an outer wall covering said rotary screen in a horizontal direction, said air scoop inhibiting a decrease in said vacuum when in a cross wind operating condition.

29. The method of operating a working vehicle of claim 24, wherein said air scoop has a generally L shaped flow path from said inlet to said outlet, and said step of drawing air through said air scoop includes directing air from a generally vertically downward direction to a generally horizontal direction.

30. The method of operating a working vehicle of claim 24, wherein said working vehicle comprises an agricultural combine.