Cooling structure for a work vehicle

• US 7,559,295 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Yamada, Masahiro, Ueda, Yoshihiro, Minoura, Akira, Komorida, Takeshi, Togoshi, Yoshikazu, Satou, Eiji, Esaki, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuff; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung Q
• Application Number:
  US11/853,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 123/41.31, 123/41.65, 123/41.49, 123/41.7, 123/41.48, 123/41.56, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/69.24, 180/68.6, 180/69.2, 180/89.17
• US Class Current: 123/41.31
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/06 Guiding or ducting air to, or from, ducted fans
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/044 using hydraulic drives

Abstract

A cooling structure for a working vehicle with a transmission disposed rearwardly and downwardly of a driver'"'"'s seat and having a hydrostatic transmission, and an air-cooled engine disposed rearwardly of the transmission. The cooling structure comprising a fan for cooling the engine and a fan for cooling the transmission mounted on a rotary shaft operatively connecting the transmission with an output shaft of the air-cooled engine, the fans being configured such that air flows generated by the fans move from adjacent the transmission toward the engine; an oil cooler for cooling fluid supplied to the hydrostatic transmission, the oil cooler being disposed between the fan for cooling the engine and the fan for cooling the transmission, and disposed to face each of the fans; and an air guiding plate disposed at a position higher than the oil cooler for guiding air to regions of the fans.

Claims

1. A cooling structure for a working vehicle with a transmission disposed rearwardly and downwardly of a driver'"'"'s seat and having a hydrostatic transmission, and an air-cooled engine disposed rearwardly of said transmission, said cooling structure comprising:

a fan for cooling said engine and a fan for cooling said transmission mounted on a rotary shaft operatively connecting said transmission with an output shaft of said air-cooled engine, said fans being configured such that air flows generated by said fans move from adjacent said transmission toward said engine;

an oil cooler for cooling fluid supplied to said hydrostatic transmission, said oil cooler being disposed between said fan for cooling said engine and said fan for cooling said transmission, and disposed to face each of said fans; and

an air guiding plate disposed at a position higher than said oil cooler for guiding air to regions of said fans.

2. A cooling structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said engine has an intake port disposed at a position higher than said air guiding plate.

3. A cooling structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising a vertically extending air guiding plate arranged laterally of said oil cooler.

4. A cooling structure as defined in claim 1, further comprising a plate-shaped member disposed between and below said engine and said transmission.

5. A cooling structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the plate-shaped member is configured to pivot about a horizontal shaft between a closed position and an open position which is tilted more downwardly than the closed position.