Cooling equipment for a motor vehicle, in particular for an excavator

• US 7,182,164 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Merlo, Alessio
• Primary Examiner(s): RESTIFO, JEFFREY J
• Application Number:
  US10/634,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20040063396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3, 180/68.4, 180/68.5
• 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: F01P 11/12 Filtering, cooling, or silencing cooling-air
• 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

Abstract

Cooling equipment for an excavator, in which a longitudinal axis of a first portion of a delivery duct is substantially parallel to the axis of the excavator, while a longitudinal axis of a second portion of the delivery duct is substantially transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. Cooling equipment for an excavator, having a longitudinal axis of symmetry identifying two directions of preferential movement;

said equipment comprising at least one air intake, a duct for delivery of the air to a radiator for cooling of coolant liquids, and a fan operable to send a flow of incoming air from said at least one air intake to said radiator through said delivery duct for providing the desired cooling of the coolant liquid;

wherein that said at least one air intake is positioned in a way substantially perpendicular to a flow of air drawn in during the forward movement of said excavator, wherein that said radiator is positioned in a manner substantially tangential to said flow of air; and

further wherein a further air intake is provided in said delivery duct downstream of said at least one air intake;

said further air intake being shielded from the air coming from said at least one air intake by a deflector.

2. Cooling equipment as described claim 1, wherein said delivery duct extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the excavator.

3. Cooling equipment as described in claim 2, wherein said at least one air intake is positioned at a front portion of the excavator bodywork whereas the radiator is located at a rear portion thereof.

4. Cooling equipment as described in claim 3, wherein an outer, lateral side of said delivery duct is formed by a side bonnet panel of the excavator bodywork.

5. Cooling equipment for an excavator having a longitudinal axis of symmetry identifying two directions of preferential movement;

said equipment comprising at least one air intake, a duct for delivery of the air to a radiator for cooling of coolant liquids, said radiator having a cooling face parallel to the longitudinal axis of symmetry, and a fan operable to send a flow of incoming air from said at least one air intake to said radiator, through said delivery duct, for providing the desired cooling of the coolant liquid; and

wherein that said at least one air intake is positioned in a way substantially perpendicular to a flow of air drawn in during the forward movement of said excavator, and in that said radiator is positioned in a manner substantially tangential to said flow of air;

wherein said delivery duct extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the excavator;

wherein said at least one air intake is positioned at a front portion of the excavator bodywork whereas the radiator is located at a rear portion thereof;

wherein an outer, lateral side of said delivery duct is formed by a side bonnet panel of the excavator bodywork; and

wherein at least part of said side bonnet panel is pivotable to an open position for exposing the radiator and parallel to said cooling face.

6. Cooling equipment as described in claim 5, wherein said delivery duct comprises:

a first duct portion contiguous to said at least one air intake and having a longitudinal axis which is substantially parallel to said axis of symmetry; and

a second duct portion contiguous to said radiator and having a longitudinal axis which is substantially transverse to said axis of symmetry.

7. Cooling equipment as described in claim 6, wherein at least one air intake is located on a forwardly extending box-shaped element, which forms an integral part of the bodywork of the excavator.

8. Cooling equipment described in claim 7, wherein said box-shaped element serves as a battery housing for the excavator.

9. Cooling equipment described in claim 8, further comprising a fuel tank that is housed alongside said radiator, an outer wall of said fuel tank delimiting a part of said delivery duct.

10. Cooling equipment for an excavator having a longitudinal axis of symmetry identifying two directions of preferential movement;

said equipment comprising at least one air intake, a duct for delivery of the air to a radiator for cooling of coolant liquids, a fan operable to send a flow of incoming air from said at least one air intake to said radiator, through said delivery duct for providing the desired cooling of the coolant liquid, and a fuel tank housed alongside said radiator;

wherein said at least one air intake is positioned in a way substantially perpendicular to a flow of air drawn in during the forward movement of said excavator, and in that said radiator is position in a manner substantially tangential to said flow of air;

wherein said delivery duct extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the excavator;

wherein said at least one air intake is position at a front portion of the excavator bodywork whereas the radiator is located at a rear portion thereof;

wherein an outer, lateral side of said delivery duct is formed by a side bonnet panel of the excavator body work; and

further wherein at least part of said side bonnet panel is pivotable to an open position for exposing the radiator wherein said delivery duct comprises;

a first duct portion contiguous to said at least one air intake and having a longitudinal axis which is substantially parallel to said axis of symmetry; and

a second duct portion contiguous to said radiator and having a longitudinal axis which is substantially transverse to said axis of symmetry wherein at least one air intake is located on a forwardly extending box-shaped element, which forms an integral part of the body work of the excavator wherein said box-shaped element serves as a battery housing for the excavator;

wherein an outer wall of said fuel tank delimiting a part of said delivery duct; and

wherein a further air intake is provided in said delivery duct downstream of said at least one air intake;

said further air intake being shielded from the air coming from said at least one air intake by a deflector.