Cooling fan duct assembly

• US 8,453,777 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2011
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Farlow, Scott K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOLLMAN, BRODIE J
• Application Number:
  US13/279,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20130098578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.3, 180/68.4, 180/68.6, 123/41.01, 123/41.71, 123/41.65, 165/41, 165/51, 165/122
• 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: B60Y 2200/221 Tractors
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/08 Arrangements of lubricant coolers in lubrication apparatus F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/10 Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 17/16 for displacing without appreciable compression
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 25/166 using fans
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/601 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps

Abstract

A fan duct assembly is provided for a vehicle having an engine-driven main cooling fan. The fan duct assembly includes a hollow housing and a pair of duct members which communicate with the housing and extend from the housing and laterally in side directions. An auxiliary cooling unit is received in the housing. A pair of auxiliary fans is received in the housing. Each fan is positioned between the auxiliary cooling unit and a respective one of the duet members. The hollow housing and the duct members are positioned in front of the main cooling fan. The hollow housing is positioned above a fan drive for driving the main cooling fan. Each of the fans draws air from a different direction.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having an engine-driven main cooling fan, a fan duct assembly comprising:

a hollow housing;

an auxiliary cooling unit received in the housing;

a first duct member communicating with the housing and extending from the housing away from the auxiliary cooling unit in a first direction;

a second duct member communicating with the housing and extending from the housing away from the auxiliary cooling unit in a second direction;

a pair of fans received in the housing, each fan being positioned between the auxiliary cooling unit and a respective one of the duct members, the hollow housing and the first and second duct members being positioned in front of the main cooling fan.

2. The fan duct assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the first duct member extends away from the second duct member; and

the second duct member extends away from the first duct member.

3. The fan duct assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the first duct member forms a first opening which faces in a first side direction; and

the second duct member forms a second opening which faces in a second side direction.

4. The fan duct assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the hollow housing is positioned above a fan drive for driving the main cooling fan.

5. The fan duct assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a front support having left and right side supports;

a left bracket attaching a lower left end of the duct assembly to the left side support; and

a right bracket attaching a lower right end of the duct assembly to the right side support.

6. The fan duct assembly of claim 1, wherein:

each of the fans draws air from a different direction.

7. A vehicle engine cooling component assembly comprising:

a radiator;

a main radiator fan;

a fan drive for driving the radiator fan; and

a fan duct assembly mounted in front of the radiator fan, a portion of the fan duct assembly being positioned above the fan drive, the fan duct assembly comprising;

a hollow housing;

a cooling unit received in the housing;

a first duct member communicating with the housing and extending from the housing away from the cooling unit and laterally in a first side direction, the first duct member being attached to the left side member;

a second duct member communicating with the housing and extending from the housing away from the cooling unit and laterally in a second side direction, the second duct member being attached to the right side member; and

a pair of fans received in the housing, each fan being positioned between the cooling unit and a respective one of the duct members.

8. The engine cooling component assembly of claim 7, wherein:

the first duct member forms a first opening which faces in the first side direction; and

the second duct member forms a second opening which faces in the second side direction.

9. The engine cooling component assembly of claim 7, further comprising:

an auxiliary drive unit 14, and a portion of the fan duct assembly is positioned above the auxiliary drive unit.

10. The engine cooling component assembly of claim 7, wherein:

each of the fans draws air from a different direction.

11. In a vehicle having an engine-driven main cooling fan, a fan duct assembly comprising:

a hollow housing;

an auxiliary cooling unit received in the housing;

a first duct member communicating with the housing and extending from the housing and away from the auxiliary cooling unit;

a second duct member communicating with the housing and extending from the housing and away from the auxiliary cooling unit, the second duct member having an interior which is isolated from an interior of the first duct member;

a pair of fans received in the housing, each fan being positioned between the auxiliary cooling unit and a respective one of the duct members, the hollow housing and the first and second duct members being positioned in front of the main cooling fan.