COOLING ASSEMBLY FOR SERVICE VEHICLE

• US 20190017747A1
• Filed: 07/12/2017
• Published: 01/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Sakaray, Umakanth, Murugan, Dhanasekar, Englert, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 10,563,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/001 Cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/10 Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/185 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/18 Arrangements or mounting of liquid-to-air heat-exchangers such arrangements on cylinders or cylinder heads F01P3/04; relative to vehicles B60K11/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/024 with an air driving element
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0426 with units having particular arrangement relative to the large body of fluid, e.g. with interleaved units or with adjacent heat exchange units in common air flow or with units extending at an angle to each other or with units arranged around a central element
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/05366 Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/06 with the heat-exchange conduits forming part of, or being attached to, the tank containing the body of fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/008 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2009/004 Common frame elements for multiple cores
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/001 Casings in the form of plate-like arrangements; Frames enclosing a heat exchange core
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/002 with fastening means for other structures

Abstract

A cooling assembly for a service vehicle is provided. The cooling assembly includes a frame arranged to define an internal cavity, with the frame having six faces: —a bottom face, a top face, and four side faces. The first face is configured to be mounted on the service vehicle. Three of the four side faces are each configured to have at least one cooler mounted thereon. A remaining one of the four side faces is positioned proximate to and facing an engine of the service vehicle and has a barrier element provided thereon to restrict drawing air therethrough.

Claims

1. A cooling assembly for a service vehicle, the cooling assembly comprising:

a frame having a bottom face, a top face, and four side faces, all arranged to define an internal cavity,

wherein the bottom face is configured to be mounted on the service vehicle,

wherein the top face is opposite the bottom face and is configured to be fitted with a fan,

wherein three of the four side faces are each configured to be fitted with at least one cooler, and

wherein a remaining one of the four side faces is adjacent to and facing an engine of the service vehicle, the remaining face having a barrier element provided thereon, the barrier element configured to restrict air from being drawn therethrough.

2. The cooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooler includes one or any combination of coolers selected from the group consisting of a radiator, a fuel cooler, a hydraulic oil cooler, a power end lubrication cooler, and a charge air cooler.

3. The cooling assembly of claim 2, wherein each of the three of the four side faces is fitted with a plurality of coolers.

4. The cooling assembly of claim 1 further comprising a core guard provided on each of the three of the four side faces of the cooling assembly.

5. The cooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the barrier element is made of sheet metal.

6. The cooling assembly of claim 1 further including at least one support panel attached to the bottom face of the frame.

7. The cooling assembly of claim 1, wherein any of a length, a breadth, and a height of the frame is configured to vary based on an arrangement of the at least one cooler on the three of the four side faces of the frame.

8. The cooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a plurality of support arms.

9. The cooling assembly of claim 1, wherein the remaining side face includes at least one channel adapted to receive the barrier element, and wherein the barrier element is held in position using mechanical fasteners.

10. A service vehicle comprising:

a mainframe;

an engine supported on the mainframe; and

a cooling assembly comprising;

a frame having a bottom face, a top face, and four side faces, all arranged to define an internal cavity,

wherein the bottom face is configured to be mounted on the service vehicle,

wherein the top face is opposite the bottom face and is configured to be fitted with a fan,

wherein three of the four side faces are each configured to be fitted with at least one cooler, and

wherein a remaining one of the four side faces is adjacent to and facing an engine of the service vehicle, the remaining face having a barrier element provided thereon, the barrier element configured to restrict air from being drawn therethrough.

11. The service vehicle of claim 10, wherein the at least one cooler includes one or any combination of coolers selected from the group consisting of a radiator, a fuel cooler, a hydraulic oil cooler, a power end lubrication cooler, and a charge air cooler.

12. The service vehicle of claim 11, wherein each of the three of the four side faces is fitted with a plurality of coolers.

13. The service vehicle of claim 10 further comprising a core guard provided on each of the three of the four side faces of the cooling assembly.

14. The service vehicle of claim 10, wherein the barrier element is made of sheet metal.

15. The service vehicle of claim 10 further including at least one support panel attached to the bottom face of the frame.

16. The service vehicle of claim 10, wherein any of a length, a breadth, and a height of the frame is configured to vary based on an arrangement of the at least one cooler on the three of the four side faces of the frame.

17. The service vehicle of claim 10, wherein the frame includes a plurality of support arms.

18. The service vehicle of claim 10, wherein the remaining side face includes at least one channel adapted to receive the barrier element, and wherein the barrier element is held in position using mechanical fasteners.

19. A method for cooling of components of a service vehicle, the method comprising:

aligning a frame having four side faces, a bottom face, and a top face on a mainframe of the service vehicle;

attaching the bottom face of the frame to the mainframe;

fitting a fan on the top face of the frame;

fitting at least one cooler on three of the four side faces of the frame;

providing a barrier element on a remaining one of the four side faces of the frame proximate to and facing an engine of the service vehicle to restrict drawing air therethrough; and

operating the fan for drawing an airflow from each of the three of the four side faces of the frame for cooling the at least one cooler.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein accommodating the at least cooler includes arranging a plurality of coolers on each of the three of the four side faces of the frame.