Bi-directional automotive cooling fan

• US 7,121,368 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2003
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Winston MacKelvie
• Original Assignee: Winston MacKelvie
• Inventors: MacKelvie, Winston
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bottorff, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/413,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20030183433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3, 180/68.4, 123/41.12, 123/41.49, 165/266, 165/271
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/00 Arrangement in connection with cooling of propulsion units heating the interior space B60H; cooling internal combustion engines per se F01P
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/08 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/66 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2037/02 starting
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/043 Pump reversing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 19/005 reversible fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/582 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 5/04 using deflection of baffle-plates

Abstract

The instant invention pertains to a road vehicle'"'"'s axial flow cooling fan which normally draws cooling air from in front of the vehicle and blows it into the engine bay. The instant invention includes a control circuit for the fan motor that provides variable speed and bi-directional, or reverse and normal, fan operation. Reverse fan operation blows air from the engine bay through the radiator and out the front of the vehicle, and normal fan operation blows into the engine bay. Two input sensors feed the control circuit, one for road speed of the vehicle and other for engine temperature. When the engine is below its operating temperature and the vehicle is moving, the fan is made to blows in reverse at a speed proportional to road speed so as to block cold ram air from entering and blasting onto a warming engine. This speeds engine warm-up to reduce emissions, improve fuel economy, and speed windshield defogging. The fan may also be made to blow in reverse when the engine is cold and the vehicle is stopped, in order that exhaust-heated air from the exhaust manifold behind the engine, may be drawn forward over the engine block to speed its warming. When the engine is above its operating temperature and the vehicle is idling or moving slowly, as in traffic, then the control circuit causes the fan to again blow in reverse cooling both the radiator and the engine bay components and preventing hot, noxious fumes from vehicles in front from being drawn into the vehicle. Blowing in reverse in traffic conditions also eliminates hot air looping back to the front of the car and drawn in through the radiator. As vehicle speed increases, the fan is made to revert to normal operation augmenting ram air flow through the radiator.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having a front engine bay with an engine located therein, a radiator having a coolant circulating therein, and an axial flow cooling fan for circulating air through said radiator;

the improvement comprising;

a motor operative to drive said axial flow cooling fan in both a forward and a reverse direction, said forward direction being one wherein said fan blows air from said radiator through said engine bay;

temperature sensing means for measuring the temperature of said coolant and to provide a temperature signal responsive thereto;

vehicle speed sensing means for measuring the speed of the vehicle and to provide a vehicle speed signal; and

a control circuit to receive said temperature signal and said vehicle speed signal and to control the direction of operation of said axial flow cooling fan in response to said signals, said control circuit being operative to cause said fan to operate in a reverse direction when said vehicle is moving above a predetermined speed and said temperature is below a first preset level;

said control circuit also being operative to cause said fan to operate in a reverse direction when said vehicle is moving below a predetermined speed and said temperature is above a second preset level.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said control circuit is operative to control the speed of said axial flow cooling fan according to said vehicle speed signal.