Noise absorbing device and device for taking air into engine room of a construction machine

• US 6,688,424 B1
• Filed: 10/21/1998
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Imamura, Kazuya, Ikeda, Masahiro, Nakada, Kuniaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): San Martin, Edgardo
• Application Number:
  US09/176,671
• Time in Patent Office: 1,938 Days
• Field of Search: 181/224, 181/225, 181/214, 181/222, 181/264, 181/204, 180/68.1, 180/68.3
• US Class Current: 181/224
• 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: B60K 13/02 concerning intake
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/00 Component parts of dredgers or soil-shifting machines, not restricted to one of the kinds covered by groups E02F3/00 - E02F7/00 laying-out or take-up devices for trailing electric cables B66C
• 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: F02B 77/13 Acoustic insulation
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/161 in systems with fluid flow G10K11/162 takes precedence; gas flow silencers or exhaust apparatus for machines or engines in general or for internal combustion engine F01N, noise absorbers in pipes or pipe systems F16L55/02; noise absorption in air conditioning and ventilation F24F13/24; silencing exhaust or propulsion jets in aircraft B64D33/06

Abstract

An engine noise reduction device to reduce sound output from an engine compartment and supply cooling air to the engine compartment to increase cooling efficiency and prevent engine and component overheating. The device opposes a plurality of air inlets, to receive an air flow therefrom, and includes a split-type noise absorbing portion and a cell-type noise absorbing portion.

Claims

1. An engine noise reduction device to receive air flow from a first air inlet and at least a second air inlet, where the first air inlet enters an engine chamber in a first direction, the second air inlet enters the engine chamber in a second direction, and the first direction differs from the second direction, the device comprising:

a split-type noise absorbing portion having an air passage of a first length, the split-type noise absorbing portion provided to oppose and receive an air flow from the first air inlet portion; and

a cell-type noise absorbing portion having an air passage of a second length, the cell-type noise absorbing portion provided to oppose and receive an air flow from the second air inlet portion,

wherein the first length is greater than the second length.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the split-type noise absorbing portion includes at least one noise absorbing blade.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cell-type noise absorbing portion includes at least one noise absorbing blade.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the split-type noise absorbing portion and the cell-type noise absorbing device each include a plurality of noise absorbing blades.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein at least one noise absorbing blade is formed of a rigid, noise absorbing material.

6. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein at least one noise absorbing blade has at least one noise absorbing material layer bonded to a layer having at least one characteristic of a group including sound insulation and air permeability.

7. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein at least one noise absorbing blade has at least one noise absorbing material layer substantially covered by an air permeable layer.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first direction is oriented substantially ninety degrees with respect to the second direction.

9. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first direction opposes the second direction.

10. An engine noise reduction device for a construction vehicle having an engine chamber, where the device receives an air flow from a first air inlet, where the first air inlet extends through an upper surface of the engine chamber, and an air flow from at least a second air inlet, where the second air inlet extends through a side of the engine chamber;

the engine noise reduction device comprising;

a split-type noise absorbing portion having an air passage of a first length, and a cell-type noise absorbing portion having an air passage of a second length.

11. A device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the split-type noise absorbing portion further includes a plurality of vertically-oriented noise absorbing members, and the cell-type noise absorbing portion further includes a plurality of noise absorbing members.

12. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the split-type noise absorbing portion opposes and receives the air flow from the second inlet, and the cell-type noise absorbing portion opposes and receives the airflow from the first inlet.

13. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the split-type noise absorbing portion opposes and receives the air flow from the first inlet, and the cell-type noise absorbing portion opposes and receives the airflow from the second inlet.

14. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein a width of each noise absorbing member of the cell-type noise absorbing portion is less than a width of any noise absorbing member of the split-type noise absorbing portion.

15. A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein a width of each noise absorbing member of the split-type noise absorbing portion generally and successively conforms with a shaping of a surface of the engine compartment.

16. A device in accordance with claim 15, wherein a spacing between adjacent noise absorbing members of the split-type noise absorbing portion is proportional to a change in width of the adjacent noise absorbing members.

17. A device in accordance with claim 15, wherein a spacing between adjacent noise absorbing members of the split-type noise absorbing portion is constant.

18. A device in accordance with claim 17, wherein a cell configuration of the cell-type noise absorbing portion is determined in accordance with a change in width of the adjacent noise absorbing members of the split-type noise absorbing portion, and wherein a number of cells increases in inverse proportion to the change in width of the adjacent noise absorbing members of the split-type noise absorbing portion.

19. A system for delivering air to an engine room of a construction machine, the system comprising:

a fan;

an air flow passage positioned forward of the fan;

a first air inlet and at least a second air inlet, wherein each air inlet is in fluid communication with the air flow passage, and the fan operatively draws air through each air inlet and into the air flow passage; and

an air flow stopping plate positioned within the air flow passage,

wherein said air flow stopping plate divides the air flow passage into a first passage, through which air from the first air inlet passes, and a second passage, through which air from at least the second air inlet passes, and prevents a combination of the air from the first passage and air from the second passage, and

wherein the first air inlet is oriented at substantially a right angle relative to at least the second air inlet.