MULTI-FUNCTIONAL COOLING SYSTEM

• US 20140014426A1
• Filed: 07/13/2012
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Knepper, Anthony Jon, Sass, Steven Richard, Lauper, John C. Jr., Zimmerman, Scott W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,875,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7663 Graders with the scraper blade mounted under a frame supported by wheels, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/0866 Engine compartment, e.g. heat exchangers, exhaust filters, cooling devices, silencers, mufflers, position of hydraulic pumps in the engine compartment
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2091 Control of energy storage means for electrical energy, e.g. battery or capacitors energy recovery arrangements in hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2217
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/10 Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/06 Guiding or ducting air to, or from, ducted fans

Abstract

A vehicle includes a chassis; a plurality of ground-engaging members; and an engine that cooperates with the plurality of ground-engaging members to move the chassis of the vehicle. The engine is positioned within an engine compartment. The vehicle further includes a cooling system including a baffle having a first side and a second side; a battery positioned on the first side of the baffle; and a heat exchanger positioned on the second side of the baffle. The baffle defines a first air pathway to cool the battery and a second air pathway to cool the heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A vehicle including:

a chassis;

a plurality of ground-engaging members;

an engine cooperating with the plurality of ground-engaging members to move the chassis of the vehicle, the engine being positioned within an engine compartment; and

a cooling system including;

a baffle having a first side and a second side;

a battery positioned on the first side of the baffle; and

a heat exchanger positioned on the second side of the baffle, the baffle defining a first air pathway to cool the battery and a second air pathway to cool the heat exchanger.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cooling system further comprises a fluid reservoir, and the cooling system is positioned rearward of the engine.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a fan positioned rearward of the fluid reservoir, the fan being configured to direct air away from the engine compartment.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the fluid reservoir is substantially V-shaped.

5. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the cooling system is configured to decrease an operating temperature of the at least one battery and the fluid reservoir.

6. A vehicle including:

a chassis;

a plurality of ground-engaging members;

an engine cooperating with the plurality of ground-engaging members to move the chassis of the vehicle;

a cooling system including;

a fluid reservoir; and

a baffle assembly generally positioned around the fluid reservoir and spaced apart from the fluid reservoir, an inner surface of the baffle assembly cooperating with an outer surface of the fluid reservoir to define a channel, and the cooling system being configured to direct air from outside the vehicle through the channel.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the baffle assembly is comprised of first portion and a second portion, the first portion being forward of the fluid reservoir and the second portion being rearward of the fluid reservoir.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein a first flow of air is directed through the channel and a second flow of air is directed along an outer surface of the baffle assembly.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a fan rearward of the baffle assembly, wherein the first flow of air mixes with the second flow of air in front of the fan.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the fan directs air within the cooling system away from the engine.

11. A vehicle including:

a chassis;

a plurality of ground-engaging members;

an engine positioned within an engine compartment supported by the chassis and operatively coupled to the ground-engaging members;

at least one battery spaced apart from the engine;

a cooling system including;

a fluid reservoir;

a baffle spaced apart from the fluid reservoir;

a heat exchanger spaced apart from the baffle; and

a fan spaced apart from the baffle, the cooling system being configured to direct a first flow of air around the battery and along an inner surface of the baffle, and a second flow of air through the heat exchanger and along an outer surface of the baffle.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the first and second flows of air mix together in a rear portion of the cooling system.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a sealing member coupled to the fluid reservoir and separating the first and second flows of air from the engine compartment.

14. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the cooling system provides a cooling effect to the fluid reservoir of approximately 0.34°

C.

15. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the fan is positioned rearward of the fluid reservoir, and is configured to exhaust the first and second flows of air from the vehicle.

16. A vehicle including:

a chassis;

a plurality of ground-engaging members;

an engine positioned within an engine compartment supported by the chassis and operatively coupled to the plurality of ground-engaging members;

a battery compartment positioned within the engine compartment; and

a cooling system positioned rearwardly of the engine and including;

a fluid reservoir;

a baffle assembly spaced apart from the fluid reservoir and configured to block air flow from around the engine to the fluid reservoir;

a heat exchanger positioned laterally outward from the baffle assembly; and

a fan configured to draw air from the battery compartment rearwardly through the baffle assembly.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the battery compartment includes at least one battery and a plurality of spacing members positioned below the at least one battery to elevate the at least one battery in the battery compartment.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the cooling system draws air into the battery compartment and below the at least one battery to decrease an operating temperature of the at least one battery.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the spacing members are comprised of a non-conductive material.

20. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the battery compartment includes a reflective member configured to reflect radiant heat from the engine compartment away from at least one battery.

21. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the cooling system is configured to provide a first flow of air to the battery compartment, and a second flow of air to the heat exchanger.

22. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the baffle assembly includes a first portion having an opening and a second portion coupled to the first portion, the fan is positioned rearward of the baffle assembly and is configured to draw air from the battery compartment through the opening of the first portion of the baffle assembly.