Power system

Abstract

To provide a power system capable of effectively cooling an engine and a battery.SOLUTION: A power system includes: a housing 2 having suction ports 21, 22 and a discharge port 23; a fan 14 that blows air so that gas sucked from the outer side of the housing 2 through the suction ports 21, 22 to the inner side of the housing 2 is discharged from the inner side of the housing 2 through the discharge port 23 to the outer side of the housing 2; a guide member 31 that guides a flow of the gas through air blowing by the fan 14; an engine 11 located in the middle of an air blowing path from the suction ports 21, 22 to the discharge port 23 where the fan 14 blows the air and accommodated in the housing 2; and a battery 15 located in the middle of the air blowing path and mounted to the guide member 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to power systems. [Background technology]

[0002] The engine drives, for example, a pump that pumps liquid. At this time, the engine generates noise. In the power system described in Patent Document 1, the engine is accommodated in a housing for soundproofing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-112170 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The power system may include a battery that powers, for example, a starter motor that starts the engine. Both the engine and the battery generate heat. In the case of the power system described in Patent Document 1, the engine is air-cooled by blowing air from a fan (referred to as a "cooling fan" in the text). However, Patent Document 1 does not mention cooling the battery.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a power system that can effectively cool the engine and the battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The power system of the present disclosure is characterized in that it comprises a housing having an intake port and an exhaust port, a fan that blows air so that gas sucked from the outside of the housing through the intake port into the inside of the housing is exhausted from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing through the exhaust port, a guide member that guides the flow of gas blown by the fan, an engine that is accommodated in the housing so as to be located midway along the air blowing path from the intake port to the exhaust port due to the air blown by the fan, and a battery that is attached to the guide member so as to be located midway along the air blowing path.

[0007] In the present disclosure, an intake port and an exhaust port are provided in a housing that accommodates an engine. The air blown by the fan is drawn into the housing from the outside through the intake port, and is then exhausted from the inside of the housing to the outside through the exhaust port. Hereinafter, the air blowing path from the intake port to the exhaust port by the fan will be simply referred to as the air blowing path. The guide member guides the flow of gas (hereinafter referred to as cooling air) blown by the fan.

[0008] Since the engine and the battery are located in the middle of the air flow path, they are exposed to the cooling air drawn in from outside the housing, and therefore can be effectively cooled. At least a portion of the heat generated by the engine and the battery is discharged to the outside of the housing together with the cooling air. The battery is attached to the guide member, which serves both as a member for guiding cooling air and as a member for supporting the battery, making it possible to reduce the number of parts.

[0009] The power system according to the present disclosure is characterized in that the guide member is cylindrical and covers the fan, and the battery is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member.

[0010] In the present disclosure, the guide member is tubular and covers the fan. The battery is located on the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member, which makes it easy to replace the battery. Also, since the battery does not interfere with the fan, there is a high degree of freedom in the placement of the battery. Hereinafter, one opening in the axial direction of the guide member will be referred to as an upstream opening, and the other opening in the axial direction of the guide member will be referred to as a downstream opening.

[0011] The power system of the present disclosure is characterized in that the housing is provided with a plurality of intake ports, the fan, the guide member, and the battery are accommodated in the housing, one opening in the axial direction of the guide member is connected to one of the plurality of intake ports, the engine is located between the other opening in the axial direction of the guide member and the exhaust port in the air supply path, and is also located between the other of the plurality of intake ports and the exhaust port, and the battery is located between the other intake port and the engine in the air supply path.

[0012] In the present disclosure, the housing is provided with a number of intake ports. Hereinafter, one of the plurality of suction ports will be simply referred to as one suction port, and another of the plurality of suction ports will be simply referred to as another suction port. The fan, the guide member, and the battery are contained in a housing. The upstream opening of the guide member communicates with one of the suction ports.

[0013] In general, the amount of heat generated by an engine is greater than the amount of heat generated by a battery. In the air flow path, the engine is located between the downstream opening of the guide member and the exhaust port, and is also located between the other intake port and the exhaust port. Therefore, the engine is exposed to cooling air that is taken in through one intake port and guided by the guide member, and is also exposed to cooling air that is taken in through the other intake port. The cooling air that has been used to air-cool the engine is discharged through the exhaust port. Therefore, the engine, which generates a large amount of heat, can be cooled more effectively.

[0014] Generally, batteries are more sensitive to heat than engines. In the air flow path, the battery is located between the other intake port and the engine. Therefore, the cooling air drawn in through the other intake port first cools the battery, then cools the engine, and is discharged through the exhaust port. This makes it possible to effectively cool the battery, which generates a small amount of heat. It is also possible to prevent the battery, which is sensitive to heat, from being exposed to the cooling air after the engine has been cooled.

[0015] The power system according to the present disclosure is characterized in that the guide member is cylindrical and covers the fan, and the battery is attached to the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member.

[0016] In the present disclosure, since the battery is located on the inner surface of the guide member, the battery can be directly exposed to the cooling air guided by the guide member, and therefore the battery can be cooled more effectively.

[0017] The power system of the present disclosure is characterized in that the fan, the guide member, and the battery are accommodated in the housing, one opening in the axial direction of the guide member is connected to the intake port, and the engine is located in the air passage between the other opening in the axial direction of the guide member and the exhaust port.

[0018] In the present disclosure, the fan, the guide member, and the battery are housed in the housing. The upstream opening of the guide member communicates with the suction port. In the air flow path, the engine is located between the downstream opening of the guide member and the exhaust port. Therefore, the cooling air drawn in through the intake port first cools the battery, then the engine, and finally is exhausted through the exhaust port. This prevents the battery, which is sensitive to heat, from being exposed to the cooling air after the engine has been cooled.

[0019] Since the air passage for cooling the battery also serves as the air passage for cooling the engine, there is no need to provide separate intake ports for cooling the battery and engine in the housing, which simplifies the housing configuration and prevents a decrease in the mechanical strength of the housing due to the provision of intake ports.

[0020] The power system according to the present disclosure is characterized in that the engine drives the fan, and the guide member is spaced from the engine.

[0021] In the present disclosure, the guide member is separated from the engine, so there is no risk of heat generated by the engine being transferred to the battery via the guide member. Since the engine drives the fan, heat generated by the engine can be transmitted to the fan. However, in order not to impede the operation of the fan, the guide member is naturally disposed away from the fan. Therefore, there is no risk of the heat generated by the engine being transmitted to the battery via the fan and the guide member.

[0022] The power system according to the present disclosure is characterized in that the guide member has high thermal conductivity.

[0023] In the present disclosure, the guide member has high thermal conductivity. Since the battery is attached to the guide member, heat generated by the battery is transferred to the guide member. When guiding the cooling air, the guide member is air-cooled. Therefore, the guide member also functions as a heat dissipation member for the battery, so that the battery can be cooled more effectively. In addition, since there is no need to provide a separate heat dissipation member for the battery, the number of parts can be reduced. Effect of the Invention

[0024] The power system of the present disclosure allows for effective cooling of the engine and battery. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic cross-sectional plan view of a power system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional plan view of a power system according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. In the following description, front, back, left and right directions are indicated by arrows in the drawings.

[0027] Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional plan view of a power system according to a first embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a power system, and the power system 1 includes an engine 11, a starting motor 12 (indicated as "M" in the figure), a pump 13, a fan 14, and a battery 15 (indicated as "B" in the figure). The engine 11 is started by being driven by a starter motor 12, and drives a pump 13 and a fan 14. A silencer 16 is attached to the exhaust port of the engine 11. A battery 15 powers the starter motor 12 .

[0028] A nozzle 131 is connected to the pump 13. The pump 13 driven by the engine 11 pumps up a liquid (for example, cleaning water) from a liquid source (not shown) and sprays the liquid from the nozzle 131. The fan 14 is, for example, a propeller fan. The fan 14 driven by the engine 11 blows air, generating a cooling wind (a flow of gas). The cooling wind cools each part of the power system 1, as described below.

[0029] The power system 1 comprises a housing 2 . The housing 2 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is placed on the ground or a cart. The housing 2 has a rectangular bottom wall 2a, four side walls rising from the four sides of the bottom wall 2a, and a top wall (not shown). The side walls of the housing 2 are provided with two intake ports 21, 22 and an exhaust port 23.

[0030] In this embodiment, the intake ports 21 and 22 are provided in the left side wall 2b, and the exhaust port 23 is provided in the rear side wall 2c. The intake port 21 (one intake port) is located in the front half of the left side wall 2b, and the intake port 22 (the other intake port) is located in the rear half of the left side wall 2b. The exhaust port 23 is located at the right edge of the rear side wall 2c. In the figure, the intake port 21 is composed of two through holes, and the intake port 22 and the exhaust port 23 are each composed of one through hole, but this is not limited thereto.

[0031] The power system 1 comprises a guide member 31 and a duct 32 . The guide member 31 is tubular (e.g., cylindrical) and is housed in the housing 2 with its axial length oriented left and right. The left opening (upstream opening) of the guide member 31 is closed by the left side wall 2b of the housing 2 and communicates with the suction port 21. The right opening 311 (downstream opening) of the guide member 31 is located near the left side wall 2b and near the front wall 2d of the housing 2 and communicates with the internal space of the housing 2. The rear portion of the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member 31 is located near the front edge of the suction port 22.

[0032] The guide member 31 has high thermal conductivity and is made of, for example, a metal. Cold-rolled steel is an example of the metal that constitutes the guide member 31. The guide member 31 may also be made of copper, aluminum, or the like, which have higher thermal conductivity.

[0033] The duct 32 is accommodated in the housing 2. An opening at one end in the axial direction of the duct 32 is connected to the exhaust port 23. An opening 321 at the other end in the axial direction of the duct 32 is located near the rear wall 2c of the housing 2 and in the center in the left-right direction, and communicates with the internal space of the housing 2. The fan 14 is accommodated in the housing 2 with the propeller shaft coaxial with the guide member 31 and the propeller disposed in the internal space of the guide member 31. In other words, the guide member 31 covers the fan 14. Naturally, the guide member 31 is disposed at a distance from the fan 14 so as not to impede the operation of the fan 14.

[0034] When the fan 14 blows air, cooling air is drawn from the outside of the housing 2 through the suction port 21 into the inside of the guide member 31. The cooling air drawn into the inside of the guide member 31 is guided to the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member 31 and is blown out of the guide member 31 to the right through the opening 311 of the guide member 31. The cooling air blown out from the guide member 31 passes through the internal space of the housing 2 and is blown into the inside of the duct 32 through the opening 321 of the duct 32 . The cooling air blown into the inside of the duct 32 is guided by the duct 32 and discharged from the inside of the duct 32 to the outside of the housing 2 through the exhaust port 23.

[0035] The opening 311 of the guide member 31 is located in the left front part of the internal space of the housing 2, and the opening 321 of the duct 32 is located in the rear part of the internal space of the housing 2 and in the center in the left-right direction. Therefore, in the internal space of the housing 2, the cooling air flows generally from the front to the rear in the front-to-rear direction. Also, in the left half of the internal space of the housing 2, the cooling air flows generally from the left to the right in the left-to-right direction. On the other hand, in the right half of the internal space of the housing 2, the cooling air flows generally from the left to the right along the front wall 2d, and the cooling air flows generally from the right to the left along the duct 32.

[0036] Since the cooling air flows from the left side to the right side in the left half of the internal space of the housing 2, the cooling air is sucked into the inside of the housing 2 from the outside of the housing 2 through the suction port 22. At least a part of the cooling air sucked through the suction port 22 is guided to the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member 31. The cooling air drawn into the inside of the housing 2 through the intake port 22 passes through the internal space of the housing 2 and is blown into the inside of the duct 32 through the opening 321 of the duct 32 .

[0037] As described above, an air flow path from the intake ports 21 and 22 to the exhaust port 23 by the air blown by the fan 14 is formed. The engine 11 is accommodated in the housing 2 so as to be located midway along the airflow path and to be spaced an appropriate distance from the guide member 31. More specifically, the engine 11 faces both the opening 311 and the intake port 22 of the guide member 31. The engine 11 also faces the opening 321 of the duct 32 such that the silencer 16 is located in the internal space of the duct 32. That is, the engine 11 is located between the opening 311 and the exhaust port 23 of the guide member 31 in the airflow path, and is also located between the intake port 22 and the exhaust port 23.

[0038] The starting motor 12 and the pump 13 are housed in the housing 2. The starting motor 12 is located, for example, in the middle of the air passage, adjacent to the upper side of the engine 11. The pump 13 is located, for example, in the middle of the air passage, adjacent to the right side of the engine 11. The nozzle 131 is located outside the housing 2. The battery 15 is attached to the guide member 31 so as to be located midway in the air blowing path. More specifically, the battery 15 is attached to the rear part of the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member 31 using a metal fitting (not shown), and is located between the intake port 22 and the engine 11 in the air blowing path.

[0039] The starting motor 12 generates noise when starting the engine 11. While the pump 13 is in use, the engine 11, the pump 13, and the fan 14 continue to generate noise. Therefore, these are housed in the housing 2. It is desirable that the housing 2 has a sound absorbing function (for example, the inner surface of the housing 2 is covered with a sound absorbing material). The silencer 16 reduces the noise of the engine 11 .

[0040] According to the power system 1 described above, cooling air is drawn into the inside of the housing 2 from the outside of the housing 2 through the intake ports 21 and 22 by the air blown by the fan 14, and is discharged from the inside of the housing 2 to the outside of the housing 2 through the exhaust port 23. The engine 11, the starting motor 12, the pump 13, the fan 14, the battery 15, and the muffler 16 are located in the air flow path and are exposed to the cooling air.

[0041] The engine 11 generates particularly high heat. The starting motor 12, pump 13, fan 14, and muffler 16 are integrally provided with the engine 11, and therefore the high heat generated by the engine 11 is easily transferred to these. However, the starting motor 12 does not generate heat except when the engine 11 is started, and is easily exposed to cooling air, just like the engine 11. The pump 13 is water-cooled by drawing in and discharging wash water. The fan 14 is directly exposed to the cooling air passing through the guide member 31 (i.e., the cooling air immediately after being drawn in from the intake port 21). The muffler 16 does not generate heat, and is directly exposed to the cooling air passing through the duct 32. As a result of the above, the starting motor 12, pump 13, fan 14, and muffler 16 can be effectively cooled.

[0042] In the airflow path, the battery 15 is located between the intake port 22 and the engine 11. Therefore, the battery 15 is directly exposed to the cooling air drawn in through the intake port 22. In addition, heat generated by the battery 15 is transferred to the guide member 31. Meanwhile, the guide member 31 is directly exposed to the cooling air drawn in through the intake ports 21 and 22 and is air-cooled. Therefore, the guide member 31 also functions as a heat dissipation member for the battery 15. In addition, the battery 15 is separated from other heat sources (the engine 11, the fan 14, etc.). Moreover, the battery 15 is not located downstream of other heat sources in the airflow path. Therefore, there is no risk that heat generated by other heat sources will be transferred to the battery 15 via other members (for example, the guide member 31) or the cooling air. As a result of the above, the battery 15 can be effectively cooled.

[0043] The battery 15 is attached to the guide member 31. That is, the guide member 31 serves as a member for guiding cooling air, a member for supporting the battery 15, and a member for dissipating heat from the battery 15, so that the number of parts can be reduced. The battery 15 is located on the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member 31. This makes it easy to replace the battery 15. In addition, since the battery 15 does not interfere with the fan 14, the battery 15 can be positioned with a high degree of freedom.

[0044] The engine 11 is located on a straight line connecting the opening 311 of the guide member 31 and the opening 321 of the duct 32, and is also located on a straight line connecting the intake port 22 and the opening 321 of the duct 32. Therefore, the engine 11 can be exposed to the cooling air more efficiently than, for example, the pump 13. Moreover, the engine 11 is directly exposed to the cooling air blown out from the guide member 31. As a result of the above, the engine 11 can be cooled effectively.

[0045] Here, the differences between the power system 1 and a comparative power system will be described. The comparative power system has the same configuration as the power system 1 shown in FIG. In the comparative power system, the guide member 31 also functions as a heat dissipation member for the battery 15, so the battery 15 is cooled to some extent. However, since the battery 15 is located to the left of the opening 311, it is difficult for the cooling air blown out of the guide member 31 to the right through the opening 311 to air-cool the battery 15. In other words, in the comparative power system, the battery 15 is not on the air blowing path, so the battery 15 cannot be sufficiently cooled.

[0046] The pump 13 is not limited to a configuration in which cleaning water is jetted from the nozzle 131 , but may be a configuration in which, for example, a chemical liquid is sprayed from the nozzle 131 . The object driven by the engine 11 is not limited to the pump 13, but may be, for example, a generator. The battery 15 is not limited to being configured to supply power to the starting motor 12, but may be configured to supply power to, for example, a fan motor that drives a fan other than the fan 14, or a control device that controls the operation of various motors.

[0047] In this embodiment, the intake ports 21 and 22 are provided in the left side wall 2b, and the exhaust port 23 is provided in the rear side wall 2c, but this is not limited thereto. The intake ports 21 and 22 are adjacent to each other in the front and rear, but this is not limited thereto. The intake ports 21 and 22 may be provided in different side walls. A through hole may be provided in the peripheral wall of the guide member 31, and at least a part of the cooling air sucked through the intake port 22 may flow into the inside of the guide member 31 through the through hole in the peripheral wall of the guide member 31. In any case, the arrangement of the engine 11 and the battery 15 may be designed so that the cooling air blown out from the guide member 31 air-cools the engine 11, and the cooling air sucked through the intake port 22 air-cools the battery 15.

[0048] Embodiment 2. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional plan view of the power system 1 according to the second embodiment. Power system 1 of the present embodiment is substantially similar to power system 1 of embodiment 1, except that battery 15 is disposed differently and there is no intake port 22. Below, the differences from embodiment 1 will be described, and other components that are the same as those in embodiment 1 will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0049] The battery 15 is attached to the guide member 31 so as to be located midway along the air passage, as in the case of the first embodiment. However, in the present embodiment, the battery 15 is attached to the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member 31 using a metal fitting (not shown).

[0050] According to the power system 1 described above, cooling air is drawn from the outside of the housing 2 into the inside of the housing 2 through the intake port 21 by the air blown by the fan 14, and is discharged from the inside of the housing 2 to the outside of the housing 2 through the exhaust port 23. The engine 11, the starting motor 12, the pump 13, the fan 14, the battery 15, and the muffler 16 are located in the air flow path and are exposed to the cooling air.

[0051] In the air blowing path, the battery 15 is located in the internal space of the guide member 31. Therefore, the battery 15 can be directly exposed to the cooling air sucked through the air inlet 21. As in the first embodiment, the guide member 31 also functions as a heat dissipation member for the battery 15. Furthermore, the battery 15 is separated from other heat sources, and is not located downstream of other heat sources in the air blowing path. As a result of the above, the battery 15 can be effectively cooled. Therefore, there is no need to provide an intake port corresponding to intake port 22 of the first embodiment in housing 2 for the purpose of cooling battery 15. Therefore, the configuration of housing 2 is simple, and a decrease in the mechanical strength of housing 2 caused by providing an intake port other than intake port 21 can be suppressed.

[0052] The guide member 31 may be a cylindrical duct extending from the intake port 21 to the exhaust port 23. In this case, at least the engine 11 is covered by the guide member 31. The power system 1 may further include an air-cooling mechanism or a water-cooling mechanism for cooling a heat source disposed inside the housing 2 and outside the guide member 31. If the starting motor 12 is disposed outside the guide member 31, the power supply line from the battery 15 to the starting motor 12 passes through the peripheral wall of the guide member 31, for example.

[0053] The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered as limiting. The scope of the present invention is intended to include not only the above-mentioned meaning, but also the meaning equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope of the claims. The constituent elements (technical features) disclosed in each embodiment can be combined with each other, and new technical features can be formed by combination. In addition, the independent claims and dependent claims described in the claims can be combined with each other in any and all combinations regardless of the citation format. Furthermore, the claims use a format in which a claim cites two or more other claims (multiple claim format), but this is not limited to this. The claims may also be written in a format in which a multiple claim cites at least one other multiple claim (multi-multi claim). [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1. Power System 11 Engine 14 Fan 15 Battery 2. Housing 21,22 Intake port 23 Outlet 31 Guide member 311 Opening (other opening)

Claims

1. a housing having an inlet and an outlet; a fan that blows air such that gas sucked from the outside of the housing through the intake port into the inside of the housing is exhausted from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing through the exhaust port; a guide member for guiding the flow of the gas caused by the blowing of the fan; an engine accommodated in the housing so as to be located midway through an air flow path from the intake port to the exhaust port by the air blown by the fan; a battery attached to the guide member so as to be located midway through the air blowing path; A power system comprising:

2. The guide member is cylindrical and covers the fan.

2. The power system according to claim 1, wherein the battery is attached to an outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member.

3. The housing is provided with a plurality of the intake ports, the fan, the guide member, and the battery are accommodated in the housing; One opening in the axial direction of the guide member communicates with one of the plurality of suction ports, the engine is located in the air passage between the other opening of the guide member in the axial direction and the exhaust port, and is also located between another of the plurality of intake ports and the exhaust port; 3. The power system according to claim 2, wherein the battery is located in the air passage between the other of the intake ports and the engine.

4. The guide member is cylindrical and covers the fan.

2. The power system according to claim 1, wherein the battery is attached to an inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall of the guide member.

5. the fan, the guide member, and the battery are accommodated in the housing; One opening in the axial direction of the guide member communicates with the suction port, 5. The power system according to claim 4, wherein the engine is located in the air passage between the other opening in the axial direction of the guide member and the exhaust port.

6. The engine drives the fan; 6. The power system according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is spaced apart from the engine.

7. 6. The power system according to claim 1, wherein the guide member has high thermal conductivity.

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