Automotive vehicle engine bay ventilation

• US 4,979,584 A
• Filed: 05/25/1989
• Issued: 12/25/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens-Bendix Automotive Electronics LP
• Original Assignee: Siemens-Bendix Automotive Electronics LP
• Inventors: Charles, Herbert N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, Charles A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMBY, RICHARD M
• Application Number:
  US07/357,509
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3, 180/68.4
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/10 Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/025 using two or more air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/06 Guiding or ducting air to, or from, ducted fans

Abstract

Ram air ventilation of the engine bay of an automotive vehicle is accomplished by providing ventilating openings in a transverse structural cross-member that bridges the front of the engine bay, and by collecting hot effluent from the radiator and condenser and directing same out of the engine bay.

Claims

1. In an automotive vehicle which has an engine bay located at the front of the vehicle, an internal structural cross-member bridging the front of the engine bay, said cross-member having an open area, heat exchange structure mounted on said cross-member and disposed in a limited portion of said open area, ducted fan structure disposed on the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure and enclosing the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure for drawing air through said heat exchange structure and conveying the effluent to a location outside the engine bar, the remainder of said open area of said cross-member remaining open to pass ram air into the engine bay so that the engine bay is ventilated by ram air and not by effluent from the heat exchange structure, said cross-member being a structural plastic and the ducted fan structure comprising inlet cone structure, said inlet cone structure being an integral part of said cross-member, motor mount structure integral with said cross-member for supporting electric motor means centrally of said inlet cone structure, said electric motor means operating said ducted fan structure, said motor means having a shaft means that points toward the engine bay and the ducted fan structure comprising fan means mounted on said shaft means.

2. In an automotive vehicle which has an engine bay located at the front of the vehicle, an internal structural cross-member bridging the front of the engine bay, said cross-member having an open area, heat exchange structure mounted on said cross member and disposed in a limited portion of said open area, ducted fan structure disposed on the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure and enclosing the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure for drawing air through said heat exchange structure and conveying the effluent to a location outside the engine bay, the remainder of said open area of said cross-member remaining open to pass ram air into the engine bay so that the engine bay is ventilated by ram air and not by effluent from the heat exchange structure, said limited portion of said open area being located centrally in said cross-member, the remainder of said open area being laterally and vertically outboard of said limited portion of said open area, said heat exchange structure comprising a core and end tanks, said core and end tanks occupying said limited portion of said open area, said limited portion of said open area comprising vertically elongated openings in which said end tanks are disposed, comprising vertically elongated openings laterally outboard of said limited portion of said open area and horizontally elongated openings vertically above said limited portion of said open area.

3. In an automotive vehicle which has an engine bay located at the front of the vehicle, an internal structural cross-member bridging the front of the engine bay, said cross-member having an open area, heat exchange structure mounted on said cross-member and disposed in a limited portion of said open area, ducted fan structure disposed on the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure and enclosing the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure for drawing air through said heat exchange structure and conveying the effluent to a location outside the engine bay, the remainder of said open area of said cross-member remaining open to pass ram air into the engine bay so that the engine bay is ventilated by ram air and not by effluent from the heat exchange structure, the ducted fan structure comprising an inlet cone that enclosed the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure and axially extends from the heat exchange structure toward the engine bay to terminate in a generally circular outlet that faces the engine bay, motor mount structure that is disposed centrally of said inlet cone and mounts an electric motor means centrally of said inlet cone structure such that a shaft means of said electric motor means points toward the engine bay, and fan means mounted on said shaft means for operation by said electric motor means, said ducted fan structure further comprising a housing having an inlet fitting to the circular outlet of said inlet cone structure and enclosing said fan means, said housing having an exit that conveys the effluent out of the engine bay, said housing comprising plural parts cooperatively fitting the housing inlet to the outlet of said inlet cone structure, at least one of said parts being a top part that is removable to provide access to said fan means and said electric motor means.

4. In an automotive vehicle which has an engine bay located at the front of the vehicle, an internal structural cross-member bridging the front of the engine bay, said cross-member having an open area, heat exchange structure mounted on said cross-member and disposed in a limited portion of said open area, ducted fan structure disposed on the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure and enclosing the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure for drawing air through said heat exchange structure and conveying the effluent to a location outside the engine bay, the remainder of said open area of said cross-member remaining open to pass ram air into the engine bay so that the engine bay is ventilated by ram air and not by effluent from the heat exchange structure, said limited portion of said open area being located centrally in said cross-member, the remainder of said open area being laterally and vertically outboard of said limited portion of said open area, said remainder of said open area comprising vertically elongated openings laterally outboard of said limited portion of said open area and at least one horizontally elongated opening vertically above said limited portion of said open area.

5. In an automotive vehicle which has an engine bay comprising a structural cross-member disposed laterally in the vehicle to bridge the engine bay, said cross-member having a vertical and horizontal expanse that bounds the perimeter of an open area of the cross-member, heat exchange structure mounted on said cross-member in covering relation to said open area, ducted fan structure disposed on the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure and enclosing the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure for drawing air through said heat exchange structure and conveying the effluent to an outlet of said ducted fan structure, said cross-member being a structural plastic and the ducted fan structure comprising an inlet cone structure and a scroll, said inlet cone structure being an integral part of said cross-member, said inlet cone structure terminating at said scroll which is closed at the rear and has said outlet of said ducted fan structure at a side thereof, motor mount structure integral with said cross-member supporting centrally of said inlet cone structure an electric motor means for operating said ducted fan structure, said electric motor means having a shaft means that points toward the engine bay and the ducted fan structure comprising fan means mounted on said shaft means.

6. The combination claimed in claim 5 wherein said ducted fan structure comprises a housing having an inlet fitting an outlet of said inlet cone structure and enclosing said fan means, said housing comprising plural parts cooperatively fitting the housing inlet to the outlet of said inlet cone structure, at least one of said parts being a top part that is removable to provide access to said fan means and said electric motor means.

7. For use in an automotive vehicle which has an engine bay located at the front of the vehicle, an internal structural cross-member bridging the front of the engine bay, said cross-member having an open area that is adapted to receive heat exchange structure disposed in a limited portion of said open area and ducted fan structure disposed on the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure for enclosing the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure to draw air through said heat exchange structure and convey the effluent to a location outside the engine bay, the remainder of said open area of said cross-member remaining open for passing ram air into the engine bay so that the engine bay will be ventilated by ram air and not by effluent from the heat exchange structure, said limited portion of said open area being located centrally in said cross-member, the remainder of said open area being laterally and vertically outboard of said limited portion of said open area, said remainder of said open area comprising vertically elongated openings laterally outboard of said limited portion of said open area and horizontally elongated openings vertically above said limited portion of said open area.

8. In an automotive vehicle which has an engine bay, a unitary, one-piece plastic structural cross-member mounted laterally in the vehicle to bridge the engine bay, said cross-member having a vertical and horizontal expanse of plastic that bounds the perimeter of an open frontal area of the cross-member that mounts a heat exchange structure in covering relation to said open frontal area, the perimeter of said open frontal area being closed, and also ducted fan structure on the engine bay side of the heat exchange structure enclosing the engine bay side of the heat exchange structure to draw air through said heat exchange structure and convey the effluent to an outlet of the ducted fan structure, the ducted fan structure comprising an inlet cone structure and a scroll, said inlet cone structure extending rearwardly from said open frontal area and terminating in an opening which is spaced rearwardly of said open frontal area of the cross-member, said opening is disposed in said scroll which is closed at the rear and has said outlet of said ducted fan structure at a side thereof, said inlet cone structure being an integral part of said cross-member, and electric motor mount structure integral with said cross-member mounting an electric motor and fan means centrally of said inlet cone structure.