KÜHLERLÜFTER

Abstract

Radiator fan (50), configured to introduce outside air into a radiator (30) located in front of an engine (20), comprising: an impeller (51) arranged behind the cooler (30); a fan motor (52) configured to rotate the impeller (51); and a fan cover (54) that covers the impeller from behind, wherein the fan cover (54) is formed with a plurality of hoods (61a-61m) whose exhaust openings (62) point in any direction from a lateral direction to a downward direction within a range, characterized in that the exhaust opening (52) of the hood of the multiple hoods (61a-61m) which is located on a top surface of a rotation center of the impeller (51) is directed towards the fan motor (52).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling fan. Technical background

[0002] Generally, a radiator is located in front of the engine on a vehicle with a spread-seat configuration, such as a motorcycle. A radiator fan is known for this type of radiator, in which a fan cover is located behind the fan (see, for example, patent specification 1). According to patent specification 1, the impeller of the radiator fan is covered from behind by a fan cover, and an opening is located in the underside of the fan cover to direct exhaust air downwards. The exhaust air passing through a fan core is blown out of the opening in the fan cover towards the underside of the vehicle to reduce heat exposure to the rider caused by the exhaust air from the radiator fan.

[0003] Patent specification 2 shows a cooling fan according to the preamble of claim 1. Patent literature Patent specification 1: JP 5 829 907 B2 Patent specification 2: US 2019 / 0 063 301 A1 REVELATION OF THE INVENTION Technical Problem

[0004] However, since the impeller of the radiator fan is covered from the rear by the fan cover according to patent specification 1, a problem arises insofar as the airflow from the vehicle and the exhaust air from the impeller are difficult to channel away from the radiator core, which impairs the radiator's cooling performance. While it is possible to improve the discharge of the airflow and exhaust air by creating a hole in the fan cover, the position of the hole in the fan cover is limited, and no significant improvement is to be expected with regard to the heat load on the driver.

[0005] However, according to patent specification 2, there is still room for further improvement in the cooling fan.

[0006] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an objective of the invention to provide a cooling fan that is able to maintain cooling performance while simultaneously suppressing the heat load for the driver. Solution to the problem

[0007] A cooling fan according to one aspect of the invention has the features of claim 1. Advantageous modes of operation of the invention

[0008] According to the radiator fan of one aspect of the invention, although the impeller is covered from behind by the fan cover, the multiple hoods formed in the fan cover allow for easy channeling of the airflow from the vehicle and the exhaust air from the impeller. Furthermore, since the exhaust openings of the hoods point in all directions from the side to the downward direction, it is less likely that hot air passing through the radiator core will be directed towards a driver located behind the engine. Therefore, the cooling performance of the radiator fan can be maintained while minimizing thermal discomfort for the driver.

[0009] Due to the special design according to the invention, the air for the exhaust of the impeller is blown from the hoods to the fan motor, and the fan motor is cooled, thereby protecting the function of the fan motor from impairment by hot air. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a left-hand view of the front section of a spread-type vehicle according to one embodiment. Fig. Figure 2 is a rear view of a radiator and a radiator fan according to the present embodiment. Fig. Figure 3 is a left-side view of the radiator and radiator fan according to the present embodiment. Fig. Figure 4 is a bottom view of the radiator and the radiator fan according to the present embodiment. Fig. Figure 5 is a side view of the environment of an engine according to the present embodiment. Fig. Figure 6 is a top view of the area surrounding the engine according to the present embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF EXECUTION

[0010] A cooling fan according to one aspect of the invention draws outside air into a radiator located in front of an engine. An impeller of the cooling fan is located behind the radiator. The impeller is driven by a fan motor and is covered from behind by a fan cover. The fan cover is equipped with a plurality of hoods whose outlet openings point in all directions within a certain range, from lateral to downward. Although the impeller is covered from behind by the fan cover, the airflow from the vehicle and the exhaust air from the impeller are easily dissipated due to the multiple hoods formed in the fan cover.Furthermore, since the hood's exhaust vents point in random directions within the area, from lateral to downward, it is unlikely that hot air passing through the radiator core will reach a driver sitting behind the engine. Therefore, the cooling capacity of the radiator fan can be maintained while suppressing heat stress on the driver. [Example of implementation]

[0011] One embodiment is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. Figure 1 is a left-hand view of the front section of a spread-seat vehicle according to the present embodiment. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, an arrow FR denotes the front of the vehicle, an arrow RE the rear of the vehicle, an arrow L the left side of the vehicle, and an arrow R the right side of the vehicle.

[0012] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, a spread-seat vehicle 1 is formed by assembling several components, such as an engine 20 and an electrical system, onto a diamond-shaped vehicle body frame 10, which is made of sheet metal tubes. The vehicle body frame 10 includes a pair of main frames 12 extending downwards from a head tube 11 on the left and right sides, and a pair of down frames 13 branching off to the left and right from the head tube 11 and extending downwards. A pair of front forks 16 are steerably mounted on the head tube 11 via a steering shaft (not shown), and a front wheel 17 is rotatably mounted on the lower portions of the front forks 16.

[0013] A front section of the main frame 12 is a tank rail 14 above the engine 20, with a fuel tank 18 being held from below by the tank rail 14. A rear section of the main frame 12 is a body frame 15 behind the engine 20, with a rear wheel (not shown) mounted on a lower half of the body frame 15 via a swingarm (not shown). A rear section of the engine 20 is held by the paired main frames 12, and a front section of the engine 20 is supported by the paired downtube frames 13. The engine 20 is supported by the vehicle body frame 10, thus ensuring the rigidity of the entire vehicle.

[0014] The engine 20 contains a crankcase 21 with a vertically divided structure. A cylinder 22, a cylinder head 23, and a cylinder head cover 24 are attached to an upper section of the crankcase 21. A magnetic cover 25, which covers a magnet (not shown) from the side, is attached to the left side surface of the crankcase 21. A clutch cover 26 ( Fig. 6), which covers a clutch (not shown) from the side, is attached to the right side of the crankcase 21. An oil pan 27, serving to hold oil, is attached to a lower section of the crankcase 21. A pair of exhaust pipes 28 extends downwards from a front face of the cylinder head 23.

[0015] A radiator is located in front of the cylinder head 23 of the engine 20, below the intake manifold 11. Coolant heated in the engine 20 is fed to the radiator 30, and heat exchange takes place between the coolant flowing through the radiator 30 and the ambient air flowing through it. A radiator fan 50, which draws outside air into the radiator 30, is located on the rear surface of the radiator 30. When the coolant temperature exceeds a predetermined level, such as when the vehicle is stopped, driving at low speed, or similar situations, the radiator fan 50 is driven to rotate, drawing outside air into the radiator 30 and forcibly cooling the coolant within it.

[0016] The radiator fan 50 is equipped with a fan cover 54 to suppress heat load from the driver via exhaust air. If the radiator fan 50 is completely covered from behind by the fan cover 54, its cooling performance deteriorates due to the difficulty in expelling the airflow from the vehicle and the exhaust air from the impeller. If the radiator fan 50 is positioned close to the exhaust pipes 28, its performance deteriorates due to the heat emanating from the exhaust pipes 28. If the radiator fan 50 is positioned away from the exhaust pipes 28, there is a possibility that small stones thrown up by the front wheel 17 could enter a gap between the radiator fan 50 and the exhaust pipes 28, potentially blocking the fan.

[0017] Therefore, in the fan cover 54 of this embodiment several hoods 61 (see Fig. 2), whose exhaust openings are oriented downwards or laterally. The multiple hoods 61 of the fan cover 54 reduce heat stress on the driver and increase the discharge of the driving air and the exhaust air from the wheel. Furthermore, the motor of the radiator fan 50 is boosted by utilizing the driving air and the exhaust air from the wheel through the exhaust openings of some of the hoods 61. The motor power is maintained even when the radiator fan 50 and the exhaust pipes 28 are close together. Since the gap between the radiator fan 50 and the exhaust pipes 24 is narrowed, it is less likely that small stones thrown up by the front wheel 17 will enter the radiator fan 50.

[0018] The radiator and radiator fan are selected based on the Fig. 2 to 4 described. Fig. Figure 2 is a rear view of the radiator and the radiator fan according to this embodiment. Fig. Figure 3 is a left-side view of the radiator and radiator fan of this embodiment. Fig. Figure 4 is a bottom view of the radiator and the radiator fan according to the present embodiment.

[0019] As in the Fig. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the cooler 30 comprises a cooler core 31 with a rectangular plate shape, a left side tank 32 on the left side of the cooler core 31, and a right side tank 33 on the right side of the cooler core 31. The cooler core 31 contains a large number of (not shown) water pipes connecting the left side tank 32 and the right side tank 33, as well as a large number of (not shown) heat-radiating fins intersecting the water pipes. A pair of left and right upper struts 34 extends upwards from the top of the cooler core 31, and a single lower strut 35 projects from a bottom surface of the cooler 30.

[0020] The left side tank 32 runs along a left side edge of the radiator core 31, and an inlet pipe 36 is located on the rear side of the left side tank 32. The inlet pipe 36 is connected to the engine 20 (see Fig. 1) connected via an inlet hose (not shown), and the cooling water flows from the engine 20 to the left side tank 32. The right side tank 33 runs along a right side edge of the radiator core 31, and an outlet pipe 37 is located on the rear side of the right side tank 33. The outlet pipe 37 is connected to the engine 20 via an outlet hose (not shown), and the cooling water is supplied from the right side tank 30 to the engine 20.

[0021] A water inlet for coolant is provided on the top of the right side tank 33, and a radiator cap 38 is attached to the water inlet. The coolant flows from the left side tank 32 to the right side tank 33, and the outside air passes from a front surface to a rear surface of the radiator core 31, so that heat exchange takes place between the coolant and the outside air. When driving at high speed, the air passes through the radiator core 31, and the radiator 30 dissipates heat through the airflow. When stopped, driving at low speed, or similar situations, the radiator fan 50 operates on the rear of the radiator 31, and the radiator 31 dissipates heat to the outside air drawn in via the radiator fan 50.

[0022] The cooling fan 50 is an axial-flow impeller fan, and behind the cooler 30 is an impeller 51. Although a simplified form of the impeller 51 is shown here, the impeller 51 actually has multiple blades arranged circumferentially. A central section of the impeller 51 is connected to an output shaft of a fan motor 52, and the impeller 51 is driven by the fan motor 52. The fan motor 52 has a flat design, and the thickness of the cooling fan 50 in the forward and reverse directions is reduced. The fan motor 52 is attached to the cooler 30 by the resin-coated fan cover 54.

[0023] The fan cover 54 is located in the center of the rear of the cooler 30. An upper half of the fan cover 54 is designed as a semicircular shape when viewed from the rear, and the rear and outer circumference of the impeller 51 are covered by the upper half of the fan cover 54. A lower half of the fan cover 54 is designed as a rectangle when viewed from the rear, and the rear and lower center of the impeller 51 are covered by the lower half of the fan cover 54. That is to say, the left and right sides of the fan cover 54, excluding one side surface and the center of the lower half of the fan cover 54, are open. The center of the rear of the fan cover 54 is cut out, and the fan motor 52 is exposed through a notch 55.

[0024] A pair of upper fan struts 56 project to the left and right from two positions on an upper section of the fan cover 54, and a lower fan strut 57 projects from a central position on the lower section of the fan cover 54. The pair of upper fan struts 56 are screwed to supports 41 that extend rearward from the top of the heat sink core 31, and the lower fan strut 57 is screwed to a support 42 that projects rearward from a bottom of the heat sink core 51. Mounting sections 58 are located at three positions on a circumferential edge section of the notch 55 on the rear of the fan cover 54, and the fan motor 52 is attached to the fan cover 54 by the three mounting sections 58.

[0025] Multiple hoods 61a to 61m are formed around the notch (cutout) 55 of the fan cover 54. These hoods 61a to 61m are of varying sizes, depending on their placement, such that as many hoods 61a to 61m as possible are arranged on the rear surface of the fan cover 54. Since the hoods 61a to 61m are arranged to fill the rear surface of the fan cover 54, sufficient opening area is achieved in the fan cover 54 through the exhaust openings of the hoods 61a to 61m. Because the fan cover 54 has sufficient opening area, the airflow from the vehicle and the exhaust air from the impeller 51 can easily be discharged through the fan cover 54.

[0026] The exhaust openings 62 of the multiple hoods 61a to 61m are oriented in arbitrary directions within a range extending from the lateral direction to the downward direction. Hoods 61a to 61e are located on the upper side of the pivot point O of the impeller 51, and the exhaust openings 62 of hoods 61a to 61e are oriented obliquely downwards to the right. Hoods 61f to 61k are located on the underside of the pivot point O of the impeller 61, and the exhaust openings 62 of hoods 61f to 61k are oriented obliquely downwards to the left. Hood 61l is located on the right side of the pivot point O of the impeller 51, and the exhaust opening 62 of hood 61l is directed to the right. The hood 61m is located on the left side of the center of rotation O of the impeller 51, and the exhaust opening 62 of the hood 61m is directed towards the left side.

[0027] The direction of rotation D of the impeller 51 corresponds to counterclockwise, and the direction of rotation D of the impeller 51 and the directions of discharge from the exhaust openings 62 of the several hoods 61a to 61m do not coincide. For example, at the 12 o'clock position, the direction of rotation D of the impeller 51 is to the left, and the discharge direction of the hood 61c is to the right, obliquely downwards. At a position between 1 and 2 o'clock, the direction of rotation D of the impeller 51 is to the left, obliquely upwards, and the discharge direction of the hoods 61d and 61e is to the right, obliquely downwards. At a corresponding 3 o'clock position, the direction of rotation D of the impeller 51 is upwards, and the discharge direction of the hood 61l is to the right. In other places, the direction of rotation D of the impeller 51 and the exit directions of the several hoods 61a to 61m also intersect or are opposite to each other.

[0028] Since the exit directions from the exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61a to 61m point towards an underside or a side direction of the vehicle, rather than towards the rear or the top of the vehicle, it is unlikely that hot air entering through the radiator 30 will reach the driver located behind the engine 20 (see Fig. 1) Furthermore, since the direction of rotation D of the impeller 51 and the outlet directions of the hoods 61a to 61m are different from each other, the exhaust air from the impeller 51 strikes the inner surfaces of the hoods 61a to 61m, and the momentum of the exhaust air blown out of the exhaust openings 62 is reduced, thus suppressing the heat load on the driver. Even when the fan cover 54 is located in the radiator 30, it is also difficult for the airflow from the vehicle and the exhaust air from the impeller 51 to be expelled.

[0029] The hoods 61a, 61b are located on the top of the pivot point O of the impeller 51 and are angled upwards to the left with respect to the fan motor 52. The exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61a, 61b are angled downwards to the right, and the fan motor 52 is located at the point of exhaust of the exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61a, 61b. Since the exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61a, 61b are directed towards the fan motor 52, the airflow from the vehicle or the exhaust air from the impeller 51 is directed from the hoods 61a, 61b to the fan motor 52 for cooling. This applies even if the radiator fan 50 is located near the exhaust pipes 28 (see Fig. 1) A function of the fan motor 52 is preserved from impairment by hot air from the exhaust pipes 28.

[0030] The hoods 61f to 61i are located on the underside of the pivot point O of the impeller 51 and are arranged obliquely upwards to the right relative to the paired exhaust pipes 28. The exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61f to 61i are directed obliquely downwards to the left, and the paired exhaust pipes 28 are located at an exhaust point of the exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61f to 61i. Since the exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61f and 61i are oriented towards the paired exhaust pipes 28, the airflow from the vehicle or the exhaust air from the impeller 51 is blown from the hoods 61f to 61i towards the exhaust pipes 28 to cool them. Heat damage to the cooling motor 52 due to hot air from the paired exhaust pipes 28 is suppressed, and the cooling fan 50 can be positioned close to the paired exhaust pipes 28.

[0031] Although the hoods 61a to 61m bulge backward from the rear of the fan cover 54, the extent of the bulge of the hoods 61a to 61m relative to the rear surface of the fan cover 54 is essentially the same as the extent of the bulge of the fan motor 52 relative to the rear surface of the fan cover 54. Even when the hoods 61a to 61m are formed on the rear of the fan cover 54, a predetermined layout is not affected. A conductor wire 53 extends from a side surface of the fan motor 52, and retaining sections 63 for holding the conductor wire 53 of the fan motor 52 are formed by the hoods 61a and 61b. The retaining sections 63 are formed by partially notching the hoods 61a and 61b.

[0032] Since the lower center of the fan cover 54 is not open, the lower section of the fan cover 54 blocks the hot air from the paired exhaust pipes 28, thus suppressing the heat load on the radiator fan 50. A pair of concave surfaces 64, which bypass the paired exhaust pipes 28, are formed in the lower section of the fan cover 54. The paired concave surfaces 64 are located opposite the paired exhaust pipes 28, with sufficient clearance between the fan cover 54 and the paired exhaust pipes 28 being ensured by the paired concave surfaces 64. As a result, the distance between the fan cover 54 and the paired exhaust pipes 28 is reduced, and the degree of freedom for the vehicle layout is improved.

[0033] A stream of exhaust air from the cooling fan is determined by the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 described. Fig. Figure 5 is a side view of the area surrounding the motor of this embodiment. Fig. Figure 6 is a top view of the area surrounding the engine of this embodiment.

[0034] As in the Fig. 5 and Fig. As shown in Figure 6, the radiator 30 is equipped with the paired upper struts 34 and the single lower strut 35. The paired upper struts 34 are supported by the vehicle body frame 10 (see Figure 6). Fig. 1) via a pair of frame beams 45 (see Fig. 1) held, and the lower web 35 is held by the cylinder 22 via an engine mount 46. The upper webs 34 and the frame members 45 are connected to each other via a rubber damper, and the lower web 35 and the engine mount 46 are connected to each other via a rubber damper. The radiator 30 is floatingly mounted between the vehicle body frame 10 and the engine 20 by means of the rubber damper.

[0035] The paired exhaust pipes 28 extend downwards from the front of the cylinder head 23, and the radiator 30 is located above the paired exhaust pipes 28 in front of the engine 20. A large forward-backward clearance exists between the radiator 30 and the engine 20, allowing exhaust air to flow freely out of the radiator 30. The radiator fan 50 is attached to the rear of the radiator 30, which is located in a space enclosed by the radiator 30, the engine 20, and the paired exhaust pipes 28. In a top view, the radiator fan 50 is located in the center of the radiator 30, and in a side view, an upper section of the radiator fan 50 is located above the cylinder head 23.

[0036] The radiator fan 50 is equipped with the fan cover 54 to prevent heat stress on the driver due to the exhaust air from the impeller 51. Since the hoods 61a to 61m on the rear of the fan cover 54 are designed as described above, the airflow from the vehicle and the exhaust air from the impeller 51 are easily discharged from the fan cover 54. Because the exhaust air is discharged obliquely downwards and laterally from the hoods 61a to 61m, heat stress on the driver seated behind the engine 20 is suppressed, even when the airflow from the vehicle and the exhaust air from the impeller 51 are discharged from the fan cover 54. Compared to a configuration with a baffle plate or similar device, the number of components is reduced, as is the cost.

[0037] The radiator fan 50 uses a component that does not have high heat resistance, such as the fan motor 52. For this reason, the vehicle layout is usually restricted in such a way that sufficient clearance must be maintained between the radiator fan 50 and the paired exhaust pipes 28. As explained above, the exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61a, 61b are directed towards the fan motor 52, and the exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61f to 61i are oriented towards the paired exhaust pipes 28. The fan motor 52 is cooled by the exhaust air from the hoods 61a, 61b, and the paired exhaust pipes 28 are cooled by the exhaust air from the hoods 61f to 61i. Therefore, the radiator fan 50 can be positioned close to the exhaust pipes 28, which improves the degree of freedom for the vehicle layout.

[0038] The lower section of the fan cover 54, which is larger than the engine width, is located between the paired exhaust pipes 28 and the radiator 30, and the pair of concave surfaces 64, which surround the exhaust pipes, are formed in the lower section of the fan cover 54. Curved sections of the paired exhaust pipes 28 face the paired concave surfaces 54, and the distance between the concave surfaces 54 and the curved sections of the paired exhaust pipes 28 is reduced. The heat from the paired exhaust pipes 28 is blocked by the lower section of the fan cover 54, and the lower section of the fan cover 54 and the paired exhaust pipes 28 act as walls to protect the radiator fan 50 from small stones thrown up from the ground.The small stones are less likely to clog the space between the impeller 51 and the fan motor 52, thus preventing the impeller 51 from becoming blocked.

[0039] In the fan cover 54, the covers 61f to 61k are located on the lower side of the center of rotation O (see Fig. 2) of the impeller 51, and the hoods 61f to 61k are located between the fan motor 52 and the paired exhaust pipes 28. As described above, the extent of the protrusion of the hoods 61f to 61k relative to the rear of the fan cover 54 is essentially the same as the extent of the protrusion of the fan motor 52 relative to the rear of the fan cover 54, so that the hoods 61f to 61k act as heat shields for the hot air from the paired exhaust pipes 28 towards the fan motor 52. The heat from the paired exhaust pipes 28 is blocked by the hoods 61f to 61k, and the heat load on the fan motor 52 is suppressed.

[0040] As described above, in this embodiment, although the impeller 51 is covered from behind by the fan cover 54, the airflow from the vehicle, as well as the exhaust air from the impeller 51 itself, is easily discharged because the multiple hoods 61a to 61m are formed in the fan cover 54. Furthermore, since the exhaust openings 62 of the hoods 61a to 61m are oriented in any direction from the side to the downward direction within the area, it is unlikely that air passing through the radiator core 31 will be directed towards the driver sitting behind the engine 20. Therefore, the cooling capacity of the radiator fan 50 can be maintained while simultaneously preventing heat stress on the driver.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a two-cylinder engine is presented as an example engine, but the engine type is not particularly restricted.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, several hoods are arranged in the fan cover that cannot be opened and closed. However, it is also possible to have several hoods in the fan cover that can be opened and closed. In this case, the multiple hoods are equipped with return springs, and the hoods open and close depending on the magnitude of the wind pressure acting on them. The hoods close under wind pressure when the impeller is driven, and when the vehicle speed reaches a certain value equal to or greater than the wind pressure at which the impeller is driven, the hoods are opened by the air pressure of the vehicle's movement. Even if the impeller is driven while there is no airflow, the hoods close, thus reducing the heat load for the driver.Furthermore, the hoods are opened by the wind pressure of the moving air, allowing the radiator to be cooled additionally. Even when the impeller is driven while a constant airflow is present, the heat emitted from the impeller is reduced by the airflow, and the driver can barely feel the heat.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the multiple hoods are formed on the back of the fan cover, but they can also be formed on its side surface.

[0044] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the design of the spread-seat vehicle is not described in detail; however, the design can have a streamlined shape in which the driving air or the exhaust air is directed to the fan motor.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the exhaust openings of the hoods on the top of the rotating center of the impeller are directed towards the fan motor; however, the exhaust openings of the hoods can be oriented in any direction within a range extending from the lateral direction to the downward direction; they do not need to be mounted towards the fan motor.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the exhaust openings of the hoods on the lower side are oriented towards the exhaust pipes with respect to the center of rotation of the impeller; however, the exhaust openings of these hoods can be oriented in any direction within the range from the lateral direction to the downward direction; they do not need to be oriented towards the exhaust pipes.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the upper half of the fan cover is semicircular in a rear view, and the lower half of the fan cover is rectangular in a rear view; however, the shape of the fan cover is not specifically limited. The fan cover can also be designed to at least cover the impeller from the rear.

[0048] Furthermore, in this example, the directions of the exhaust openings of the several hoods of this embodiment are described as an example; they can be oriented in any direction within the range from the lateral direction to the downward direction.

[0049] In the present embodiment, the extent of the protrusion of the multiple hoods with respect to the rear of the fan cover is essentially as large as the extent of the protrusion or projection of the fan motor with respect to the rear of the fan cover; however, the extent of the protrusion of the multiple hoods is not specifically limited. It is preferred that the protrusion of the multiple hoods with respect to the rear of the fan cover be reduced to be equal to or less than the projection of the fan motor with respect to the rear of the fan cover, in order not to interfere with the existing vehicle layout.

[0050] The radiator fan is not limited to use in a spread-seat vehicle as shown in the drawings; it can be used in other types of vehicles besides spread-seat vehicles. The spread-seat vehicle is not limited to general vehicles in which the driver sits in a position where they spread their legs; vehicles such as a small motor scooter, on which a driver can sit without spreading their legs, are also possible.

[0051] As explained above, the cooling fan (50) of this embodiment is a cooling fan configured to introduce outside air into a radiator (30) in front of a motor (20). The cooling fan includes an impeller (51) behind the radiator, a fan motor (52) for rotating the impeller, and a fan cover (54) that covers the impeller from the rear. The fan cover is equipped with a plurality of hoods (61a-61m), while exhaust openings (62) are oriented in various directions, within a range from a lateral to a downward direction. This configuration allows for easy discharge of the airflow from the vehicle and the exhaust air from the impeller, even though the impeller is covered from the rear by the fan cover, because of the multiple hoods formed within the fan cover.Furthermore, since the hood's exhaust vents are oriented in random directions within the range between lateral and downward, hot air passing through the radiator is less likely to reach the driver behind the engine. Therefore, the cooling capacity of the radiator fan can be maintained while simultaneously preventing heat stress on the driver.

[0052] In this embodiment of the radiator fan, the exhaust opening of the hood located on the top of a rotating center of the impeller (one of several hoods) is directed towards the fan motor. This configuration directs the airflow from the vehicle or the impeller's exhaust from the hoods to the fan motor, thus cooling it and protecting its function from being impaired by hot air. This avoids limiting the fan motor's position within the vehicle layout due to thermal stress, and allows the radiator fan to be positioned close to the heat source, such as the exhaust pipes.

[0053] In the fan cooler of this embodiment, the exhaust opening of the hood located on the underside of the impeller's center of rotation is directed towards an exhaust pipe (28) leading from the engine. Due to this configuration, the airflow from the vehicle or the impeller is blown from the hoods to the exhaust pipes, cooling them and thus preventing thermal stress on the fan motor. This avoids any limitations on the vehicle layout due to thermal stress, and allows the radiator fan to be positioned close to a heat source such as the exhaust pipes.

[0054] In this embodiment of the radiator fan, a lower section of the fan shroud is located between an exhaust pipe leading from the engine and the radiator. This lower section of the fan shroud features a concave surface that surrounds the exhaust pipe. This configuration blocks the heat radiated from the exhaust pipes by passing through the lower part of the fan shroud, thus reducing heat loss to the radiator fan. The concave surfaces in the fan shroud also reduce the distance between the fan shroud and the exhaust pipes.

[0055] In this embodiment of the cooling fan, the outlet directions from the exhaust openings of the multiple hoods do not coincide with the direction of rotation of the impeller. When the impeller is driven in this embodiment, the exhaust air strikes the inner surfaces of the hoods, and the momentum of the exhaust air is reduced, thus suppressing the heat impact on the driver.

[0056] In this embodiment of the radiator fan, the multiple hoods protrude rearward from the rear of the fan cover, with the protrusion of the hoods relative to the rear of the fan cover being such that it is equal to or less than the protrusion of the fan motor relative to the rear of the fan cover. Even with the multiple hoods located on the rear of the fan cover in this configuration, the existing vehicle layout is not affected.

[0057] In this embodiment of the cooling fan, of the several hoods, the one located on the underside of the impeller's center of rotation is situated between the fan motor and the exhaust pipe leading from the motor. Since the hoods function as heat deflectors in this configuration, the heat impact on the fan motor from the exhaust pipes is suppressed.

[0058] Although the present embodiment has been described, the embodiment described above and its variations can be combined in whole or in part to form other embodiments.

[0059] The technology of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above; rather, various modifications, substitutions, and alterations are possible without deviating from the fundamental technical concept of the invention. The invention can be implemented by other methods, provided the technical concept can be implemented by methods based on advances in technology and other derived techniques. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that fall within the scope of the technical concept. REFERENCE MARK LIST 20 engine 28 Exhaust pipe 30 coolers 50 radiator fans 51 wheel 52 Fan motor 54 Fan cover 61-61m hood 62 Exhaust opening 64 concave surfaces

Claims

[1] A radiator fan (50) configured to introduce outside air into a radiator (30) located in front of an engine (20), comprising: an impeller (51) arranged behind the cooler (30); a fan motor (52) configured to rotate the impeller (51); and a fan cover (54) that covers the impeller from behind, wherein the fan cover (54) is formed with a plurality of hoods (61a-61m) whose exhaust openings (62) point in any direction from a lateral direction to a downward direction within a range, characterized by , that the exhaust opening (52) of that hood of the several hoods (61a-61m) which is located on a top of a rotation center of the impeller (51) is directed towards the fan motor (52). [2] Cooling fan (50) according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust opening (52) of the hood of the multiple hoods (61a-61m) located on an underside of a rotation center of the impeller (51) is directed towards an exhaust pipe (28) which extends from the motor (20). [3] Radiator fan (50) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a lower section of the fan cover (54) is located between an exhaust pipe (28) extending from the engine (20) and the radiator (30), and a concave surface (64) is formed in the lower section of the fan cover (54) which surrounds the exhaust pipe (28). [4] Cooling fan (50) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein discharge directions from the exhaust openings (52) of the multiple hoods (61a-61m) do not coincide with a direction of rotation of the impeller (51). [5] Cooling fan (50) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the multiple hoods (61) are bulged backwards from a rear side of the fan cover (54) and a bulge dimension of the multiple hoods (61a-61m) from the rear side of the fan cover (54) is reduced such that it is equal to or less than a bulge dimension of the fan motor (52) relative to the rear side of the fan cover (54). [6] Cooling fan (50) according to claim 5, wherein the hood of the multiple hoods (61a-61m) located on an underside of a rotation center of the impeller (51) is located between the fan motor (52) and an exhaust pipe (28) extending from the motor (20).

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