Flow-inducing baffle for engine compartment ventilation

• US 8,230,957 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Braun, Kevin Gordon, Sass, Steven Richard, Faust, Michael Paul, Crane, Jesse Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEYER, JACOB B
• Application Number:
  US12/022,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20090188734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 123/41.49
• 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: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators

Abstract

A work machine comprises a baffle configured to divert air flow from a source of pressurized air laterally outwardly toward a peripheral edge of the baffle to create a flow-inducing region about the peripheral edge to ventilate the engine compartment.

Claims

1. A work machine, comprising:

a housing,

a source of pressurized air,

an engine,

a baffle positioned within the housing between the source of pressurized air and the engine so as to partition an interior region of the housing into a cooling compartment in which the source of pressurized air is positioned and an engine compartment in which the engine is positioned, wherein the baffle flares laterally outwardly relative to an axis as the baffle extends along the axis away from the source of pressurized air toward the engine compartment so as to divert air flow from the source of pressurized air laterally outwardly toward a peripheral edge of the baffle to create a flow-inducing region, in a peripheral space between the peripheral edge and the housing and in fluid communication with the engine compartment, that ventilates the engine compartment, the baffle including a main body in the form of a frusto-pyramidal section and a lip, the main body including a basal, first end and a second end opposite to and narrower than the first end, the lip flared outwardly from the second end of the main body to the peripheral edge.

2. The work machine of claim 1, wherein the main body comprises an isosceles trapezoid top panel, a non-isosceles trapezoid first side panel, and a non-isosceles trapezoid second side panel opposite the first side panel, the top panel and the first side panel meet along a first edge, and the top panel and the second side panel meet along a second edge.

3. The work machine of claim 2, wherein the lip is flared laterally outwardly from, and extends about, the top panel and the first and second side panels.

4. The work machine of claim 2, wherein the main body comprises an end panel at the second end of the baffle, the end panel and the top panel meet along a third edge, the end panel and the first side panel meet along a fourth edge, and the end panel and the second side panel meet along a fifth edge.

5. The work machine of claim 1, comprising a second baffle positioned in the engine compartment, the baffle and the second baffle cooperate to define therebetween a ventilation passageway leading from the engine compartment to the peripheral space, and the second baffle is inverted U-shaped.

6. The work machine of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises a platform, and the first and second side panels are upright on, and support the top panel above, the platform.

7. The work machine of claim 1, comprising a hydraulic motor, wherein the source of pressurized air is a cooling fan, and the hydraulic motor is operably connected to the cooling fan and is mounted in a hole formed in the second end of the baffle.