Vibration dampened engine mounted radiator assembly

• US 9,090,159 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Heavy Duty Radiator LLC
• Original Assignee: Randall Industries, Inc. (Ashtead Group PLC)
• Inventors: Pruitt, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US14/081,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20150136355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 180 681- 685, 165/69, 165/149, 165/155
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2070/52 mounting heat-exchangers
• 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

An engine mounted, vibration dampened radiator to dampen vibrations from an engine to the radiator is disclosed. The radiator core is contained within a shell having two opposed longitudinal members and two opposed transverse members to form a coolant jacket. The vehicle radiator has a support bracket assembly equipped with a longitudinal member having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width to accommodate at least one side of a vehicle radiator assembly, and a bracket member attached at one end to the longitudinal member and adapted to overfit internal coolant tubes in the radiator. The bracket has a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width. The bracket is equipped with at least one aperture along the width complementary to at least one coolant tube to permit insertion of the bracket over the coolant tube such that the tube extends through said aperture.

Claims

1. An engine mounted, vibration dampened radiator structure, comprising:

a vehicle radiator having a core with coolant tubes, said core contained within a shell, said shell having two opposed longitudinal members and two opposed transverse members;

each of said longitudinal members and said transverse members having a length and a width sufficient to accommodate said core and form a coolant jacket;

one transverse member equipped with an aperture to permit addition of coolant to the coolant jacket and said other transverse member equipped with an aperture to accommodate a return conduit to accommodate circulation of coolant within the radiator and said engine;

a vehicle radiator support bracket assembly, said support bracket assembly equipped with

a longitudinal member having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width;

said length and width of sufficient dimension to accommodate at least one side of a vehicle radiator assembly, and;

a bracket member adapted to overfit internal coolant tubes in said vehicle radiator;

said bracket of a material compatible with radiator coolant and said radiator tubes;

said bracket having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width, said bracket equipped with at least one aperture along the width located complementary to at least one said radiator tube to permit insertion of said bracket over said radiator tube such that the tube extends through said aperture;

said bracket affixed at said first end to said longitudinal member.

2. The engine mounted, vibration dampened radiator assembly of claim 1, wherein the vehicle radiator support bracket assembly includes a plurality of apertures in said bracket member complementary with all the radiator tubes along the length of said bracket member.

3. The engine mounted vibration dampened radiator assembly of claim 1, wherein the vehicle radiator bracket member is comprised of brass.

4. The engine mounted vibration dampened radiator assembly of claim 1, further including a mounting structure on said longitudinal bracket member adapted to mount the radiator structure to a vehicle engine compartment structural component.

5. The engine mounted vibration dampened assembly of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is a heavy duty vehicle.

6. The engine mounted vibration dampened assembly of claim 1, wherein said vehicle is an off road construction vehicle.

7. The engine mounted vibration dampened assembly of claim 6, wherein said vehicle is a class 8 vehicle.