Total cooling assembly for I.C. engine-powered vehicles
First Claim
1. A total cooling assembly adapted for installation in an engine compartment of an automotive vehicle containing an internal combustion engine comprising means defining an air flow path through the assembly, and said assembly further comprising:
- a heat exchanger module for transferring heat from fluid to air entering said flow path and comprising front and rear faces via which air can pass in heat exchange relation across said heat exchanger module to absorb heat from fluid flowing through said heat exchanger module thereby creating an effluent;
a cooling fan module disposed downstream of said heat exchanger module and comprising a fan/motor combination for drawing air across said heat exchanger module from said front face to said rear face of said heat exchanger module to create the effluent, said fan/motor combination comprising a fan and a first electric motor for operating said fan;
means joining said cooling fan module and said heat exchanger module together preparatory to installation of the assembly in an engine compartment of an automotive vehicle;
said assembly further comprising prior to its installation in an engine compartment of an automotive vehicle, a) a pump/motor combination comprising a fluid pump and a second electric motor for operating said pump, b) a fluid passage providing fluid communication between said heat exchanger module and said pump for fluid flow, and c) a controller for controlling operation of said first and second electric motors.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A heat exchanger module, a cooling fan module, a pump/fan module, and an electronics system control module are joined together in assembly to form a total cooling assembly for an automotive vehicle that is powered by an internal combustion engine. The cooling fan module is disposed directly behind the rear face of the radiator, and contains an electric motor-driven fan that draws ambient air across the radiator. At time of installation in a vehicle, the assembly is "dropped into" the vehicle engine compartment and secured in place. An electric motor-driven coolant pump module that pumps engine coolant through the engine and radiator, and an electronics system control module that controls the operation of the fan and pump motors also mount on the cooling fan module. When the vehicle has an air conditioning system, and/or turbo-charged engine, one and/or two additional heat exchangers form part of the heat exchanger module. The cooling fan module may comprise an axial flow fan or a ducted radial flow fan.
68 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A total cooling assembly adapted for installation in an engine compartment of an automotive vehicle containing an internal combustion engine comprising means defining an air flow path through the assembly, and said assembly further comprising:
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a heat exchanger module for transferring heat from fluid to air entering said flow path and comprising front and rear faces via which air can pass in heat exchange relation across said heat exchanger module to absorb heat from fluid flowing through said heat exchanger module thereby creating an effluent; a cooling fan module disposed downstream of said heat exchanger module and comprising a fan/motor combination for drawing air across said heat exchanger module from said front face to said rear face of said heat exchanger module to create the effluent, said fan/motor combination comprising a fan and a first electric motor for operating said fan; means joining said cooling fan module and said heat exchanger module together preparatory to installation of the assembly in an engine compartment of an automotive vehicle;
said assembly further comprising prior to its installation in an engine compartment of an automotive vehicle, a) a pump/motor combination comprising a fluid pump and a second electric motor for operating said pump, b) a fluid passage providing fluid communication between said heat exchanger module and said pump for fluid flow, and c) a controller for controlling operation of said first and second electric motors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a front engine compartment of an automotive vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine, a total cooling assembly comprising means defining an air flow path through the assembly, and further comprising:
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a heat exchanger module for transferring heat from fluid to air comprising front and rear faces via which air can pass in heat exchange relation across said heat exchanger module to absorb heat from fluid flowing through said heat exchanger module thereby creating an effluent; a cooling fan module disposed proximal of said heat exchanger module and comprising a fan/motor combination for drawing air across said heat exchanger module from said front face to said rear face of said heat exchanger module to create the effluent, said fan/motor combination comprising a fan and a first electric motor for operating said fan; said assembly further comprising a) a pump/motor combination comprising a fluid pump and a second electric motor for operating said pump, b) a fluid passage providing fluid communication between said heat exchanger module and said pump for fluid flow, and c) a controller for controlling operation of said first and second electric motors. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A cooling fan module for use in a front engine compartment of an automotive vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine in association with a heat exchanger module having front and rear faces via which air can pass in heat exchange relation across such heat exchanger module to absorb heat from fluid flowing through such heat exchanger module, said cooling fan module comprising:
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panel structure for disposition in confrontation to a rear face of such heat exchanger module; a fan/motor combination mounted on said panel structure for drawing air across such heat exchanger module to create the effluent that passes through said panel structure, said fan/motor combination comprising a fan and a first electric motor for operating said fan; a pump/motor combination mounted on said panel structure and comprising a pump having a port for fluid communication with such heat exchanger module and a second electric motor for operating said pump; and a controller disposed on said panel structure for controlling operation of said first and second electric motors. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of assembling an internal combustion engine and a cooling system for such an engine comprising:
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first, making a total cooling assembly that defines an air flow path through the assembly by assembling together,
1) a heat exchanger module for transferring heat from fluid to air entering said air flow path and that comprises front and rear faces via which air can pass in heat exchange relation across said heat exchanger module to absorb heat from fluid flowing through said heat exchanger module thereby creating an effluent,
2) a cooling fan module disposed proximal of said heat exchanger module and comprising a fan/electric motor combination for drawing air across said heat exchanger module from said front face to said rear face of said heat exchanger module to create the effluent,
3) a pump/electric motor combination,
4) a fluid conduit for placing said heat exchanger module and said pump in fluid communication, and
5) a controller for controlling operation of said electric motors; and
then,operatively associating said total cooling module with an internal combustion engine by,
1) assembling a second fluid conduit to place said heat exchanger module and a coolant passage system of said engine in fluid communication, and
2) assembling a third fluid conduit to place said pump and the coolant passage system of said engine in fluid communication.
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26. A method of assembling an internal combustion engine and a cooling system for such an engine in an engine compartment of an automotive vehicle comprising:
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first, making a total cooling assembly that defines an air flow path through the assembly by assembling together,
1) a heat exchanger module for transferring heat from fluid to air entering said flow path and that comprises front and rear faces via which air can pass in heat exchange relation across said heat exchanger module to absorb heat from fluid flowing through said heat exchanger module thereby creating an effluent,
2) a cooling fan module disposed proximal of said heat exchanger module and comprising a fan/electric motor combination for drawing air across said heat exchanger module from said front face to said rear face of said heat exchanger module to create the effluent,
3) a pump/electric motor combination,
4) a fluid conduit for placing said heat exchanger module and said pump in fluid communication, and
5) a controller for controlling operation of said electric motors;
then,assembling said total cooling module into an engine compartment of such a vehicle, and operatively associating said total cooling module with said internal combustion engine by,
1) assembling a second fluid conduit to place said heat exchanger module and a coolant passage system of said engine in fluid communication, and
2) assembling a third fluid conduit to place said pump and the coolant passage system of said engine in fluid communication.
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Specification