Vehicle cooling system

Abstract

This prevents damage to the high-pressure gas tank when the radiator is subjected to an impact from the outside. [Solution] The vehicle 2 comprises a radiator 4 positioned outside the cylindrical high-pressure gas tank 3 mounted on a structural 2A that forms the frame of the vehicle 2, and a cooling fan 5 positioned between the high-pressure gas tank 3 and the radiator 4, with one end of the rotating shaft 5a, the tip 50, facing the outer surface 3A of the high-pressure gas tank 3 in a curved shape that is convex, and the cooling fan 5 has its tip 50 formed in a curved shape that is convex toward the outer surface 3A.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cooling device for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there are vehicles that run on high-pressure gases such as hydrogen gas, compressed natural gas, and LPG as fuel. Such vehicles are equipped with a high-pressure gas tank (fuel tank) for storing the gas fuel. Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which a cylindrical fuel tank is arranged on the side of a vehicle, a radiator is provided outside the fuel tank, and a cooling fan is arranged between the fuel tank and the radiator. According to Patent Document 1, it is said that the degree of freedom in vehicle layout can be increased and the increase in the internal pressure of the fuel tank due to temperature rise can be prevented.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the structure of Patent Document 1, a cooling fan is arranged between the fuel tank and the radiator. In this case, when the vehicle is collided with another vehicle (side collision) from the side surface (outer side in the left-right direction) of the vehicle, if the cooling fan moves toward the fuel tank side (inner side in the left-right direction) due to the impact of the collision, its rotation axis is likely to interfere with the fuel tank. Due to this interference, the fuel tank may be damaged. That is, in the structure in which a cooling fan is arranged between the high-pressure gas tank and the radiator arranged outside it, there is room for improvement in preventing the damage of the high-pressure gas tank when it is impacted from the outside with respect to the radiator.

[0005] This invention was devised in light of the above-mentioned issues, and one of its purposes is to prevent damage to the high-pressure gas tank when the radiator is subjected to an external impact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This project was undertaken to solve at least some of the above-mentioned problems and can be implemented in the following forms or applications.

[0007] (1) The cooling system for the vehicle according to this application example comprises a radiator positioned outside a cylindrical high-pressure gas tank mounted on a structure that forms the frame of the vehicle, and a cooling fan positioned between the high-pressure gas tank and the radiator with one end of its rotating shaft facing the outer surface of the high-pressure gas tank, wherein the tip of the cooling fan is formed in a curved shape that is convex toward the outer surface.

[0008] In this application example, the radiator is positioned outside the high-pressure gas tank, and the cooling fan is positioned between the high-pressure gas tank and the radiator. Therefore, if another vehicle collides with the radiator from the outside, causing the radiator and cooling fan to move towards the high-pressure gas tank, the impact from the collision will act in the order of radiator, cooling fan, and high-pressure gas tank. Since the tip of the cooling fan's rotating shaft is formed in a curved shape that protrudes toward the outer surface of the tank, even if the cooling fan moves toward the high-pressure gas tank due to an impact and the tip of the cooling fan's rotating shaft comes into contact with the outer surface of the cylindrical high-pressure gas tank, the tip is likely to slide along the outer surface of the tank, either upward or downward. Therefore, the impact force acting from the cooling fan's rotating shaft toward the tank can be reduced. Thus, damage to the high-pressure gas tank when it is subjected to an impact from the outside of the radiator can be prevented.

[0009] (2) In the vehicle cooling system according to this application example, the radial dimension of the tip portion may be larger than the radial dimension of the portion of the rotating shaft other than the tip portion. With this configuration, the radial dimension of the tip is formed to be larger than that of the rest of the device, which increases the contact area between the tip and the outer surface of the high-pressure gas tank, making it easier for the tip to slide on the outer surface of the high-pressure gas tank. Therefore, damage to the high-pressure gas tank can be prevented more reliably.

[0010] (3) In the vehicle cooling device according to this application example, the tip portion may be formed in a spherical shape. With this configuration, the spherical tip comes into contact with the outer surface of the high-pressure gas tank, making it easier for the tip to slide along the outer surface of the high-pressure gas tank. Therefore, damage to the high-pressure gas tank can be prevented more reliably.

[0011] (4) In addition, in the vehicle cooling system according to this application example, the tip portion may be detachably provided with respect to the rotating shaft. With this configuration, since the tip is detachably attached, damage to the high-pressure gas tank can be prevented with a simple setup that only requires retrofitting a cap member to the cooling fan of an existing vehicle's cooling system.

[0012] (5) In the vehicle cooling system according to this application example, the high-pressure gas tank may be positioned in the structure in a manner aligned with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the radiator may be positioned on the left-right side of the vehicle relative to the high-pressure gas tank. With this configuration, the radiator is positioned on the side of the vehicle, so even if another vehicle collides with the vehicle from the side (side collision), damage to the high-pressure gas tank can be prevented.

[0013] (6) In the cooling system for a vehicle according to this application example, the structure is a chassis frame having a ladder frame structure, the chassis frame is composed of a pair of side rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a cross member mounted on the pair of side rails and extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the high-pressure gas tank and the radiator may be mounted on the outside of the side rails. According to such a configuration, a heavy high-pressure gas tank and a radiator can be stably mounted on a side member of a chassis frame with high rigidity.

Effects of the Invention

[0014] According to the present case, it is possible to prevent damage to the high-pressure gas tank when the radiator is impacted from the outside.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a top view schematically showing the lower structure of a vehicle to which a cooling device according to an embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the cooling device on the right side in the vehicle of FIG. 1, with a part of the vehicle 2 omitted. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view for explaining a detailed configuration example of the cooling fan. [Figure 4] (A) and (B) are explanatory views of a modification example regarding the cooling fan. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a modification example regarding the radiator.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Referring to the drawings, embodiments (aspects, application examples) of the present case will be described. The following embodiments are merely examples, and there is no intention to exclude various modifications and applications of technologies not explicitly stated in these embodiments. Each configuration of the following embodiments can be variously modified and implemented without departing from their gist. Also, they can be selected as necessary, or appropriately combined.

[0017] [1. Configuration] [1-1. Vehicle] FIG. 1 is a top view schematically showing the lower structure of a vehicle 2 to which a cooling device 1 according to an embodiment is applied. Further, FIG. 2 is a front view of the cooling device on the right side viewed from the front, with a part of the vehicle 2 omitted. As shown in Fig. 1, the cooling device 1 of the vehicle 2 according to the present embodiment includes a radiator 4 disposed facing the outer peripheral surface 3A of a high-pressure gas tank 3 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "tank 3") mounted on a structure 2A forming the skeleton of the vehicle 2, and a cooling fan 5 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "fan 5") disposed between the tank 3 and the radiator 4. In Fig. 1, the lower structure of the vehicle 2 including the tank 3 and the chassis frame 6 etc. is shown, and the body, cab etc. provided on the chassis frame 6 are omitted. Hereinafter, the front-rear direction D1, left-right direction D2 and up-down direction D3 of the vehicle 2 are also referred to as the vehicle length direction D1, vehicle width direction D2 and vehicle height direction D3, respectively. In the drawing, the front, right and upper directions of the vehicle 2 are indicated by Fr, Rh and Up, respectively.

[0018] The vehicle 2 is, for example, a fuel cell truck (fuel cell vehicle), and includes a chassis frame 6 having a ladder frame structure as the structure 2A. The cooling devices 1 are mounted on the left and right sides of the chassis frame 6 of the vehicle 2. The left and right cooling devices 1 are configured to be substantially equal to each other. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, attention will be paid to one of the left and right cooling devices 1 (for example, the right side) for explanation. That is, in the following description of the cooling device 1, devices and elements such as the side rail 7, tank 3, radiator 4, and fan 5 refer to those on the side where the one cooling device 1 being focused on is disposed, unless otherwise specified. Also, in the following, the expression "outer side" means "left side" for the left cooling device 1 and "right side" for the right cooling device 1.

[0019] The chassis frame 6 has left and right side rails 7 extending in the front-rear direction D1 and a plurality of cross members 8 extending in the left-right direction D2. The left and right side rails 7 are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction D2. Each side rail 7 has, for example, upper and lower flanges and a web connecting them, and forms a channel shape. Each cross member 8 is disposed between the left and right side rails 7 and connects the side rails 7 to each other. Note that only two of the plurality of cross members 8 provided on the vehicle 2 are shown in Fig. 1.

[0020] Tank 3 is a container for holding high-pressure gas. Tank 3 mounted on a fuel cell vehicle contains, for example, hydrogen gas as the high-pressure gas. The high-pressure gas in Tank 3 is used as fuel for driving the vehicle 2. Here, we illustrate a tank 3 having a cylindrical body 31 and hemispherical ends 32 that close both ends of the body 31. Tank 3 is mounted in a position where the axis (cylindrical shaft) 33 of the body 31 extends along the front-rear direction D1.

[0021] The tanks 3 are positioned outside the left and right side rails 7 in the left-right direction D2. More specifically, the tanks 3 are positioned to the left of the left side rail 7 and to the right of the right side rail 7. In the vehicle 2 of this embodiment, the left and right tanks 3 are positioned adjacent to each of the left and right side rails 7. Each tank 3 is located, for example, between the front and rear wheels (not shown) of the vehicle 2.

[0022] The left and right tanks 3 are formed equally and arranged symmetrically. That is, the left and right tanks 3 have equal weight and are positioned equally relative to the adjacent side rails 7. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the lower end of each tank 3 is located below the chassis frame 6 (side rails 7 and cross member 8).

[0023] Various devices, such as a battery (not shown) that stores power for the vehicle 2 to run, are arranged between the side rails 7. In the vehicle 2 of this embodiment, the battery may store electricity generated by a chemical reaction between hydrogen gas, which is supplied from the tank 3 as a high-pressure gas, and oxygen (air).

[0024] To the left and right of the tanks 3, in the left-right direction D2, are cooling units 14, which are responsible for cooling the equipment mounted on the vehicle 2. More specifically, the cooling units 14 include radiators 4 and fans 5. The radiators 4 and fans 5 that make up each cooling unit 14 are positioned to the left of the left tank 3 and to the right of the right tank 3, respectively. In Figure 1, an example configuration is shown in which two radiators 4 and two fans 5 are positioned on each side.

[0025] Each radiator 4 is formed in a flat plate shape extending in the front-rear direction D1 and the up-down direction D3, and is positioned outside the outer peripheral surface 3A of the tank 3. Positioning outside the outer peripheral surface 3A means that it is positioned with a small gap on the outside relative to the tank 3. In Figure 1, each radiator 4 is positioned outside the tank 3 in the left-right direction D2. Specifically, the radiators 4 are positioned to the left of the left tank 3 and to the right of the right tank 3. More precisely, each radiator 4 is positioned such that the normal of the air-receiving surface (the surface with the largest area) is approximately aligned with the left-right direction D2; in other words, that surface is facing the outer circumferential surface 3A of the tank 3. That is, each radiator 4 can be said to be positioned facing the outer circumferential surface 3A.

[0026] Each radiator 4 is fitted with a fan 5. As shown in Figure 1, each radiator 4 has a fan 5 integrally attached to it. Each fan 5 is positioned between the tank 3 and the radiator 4, with the tip 50 of the rotating shaft 5a facing the outer surface 3A of the tank 3. The tip portion 50 is the end portion of the rotating shaft 5a that is located on the tank 3 side. The fan 5 shown in Figure 1 is positioned such that its axis 5b, which is the center of its rotating shaft 5a, intersects with the cylindrical shaft 33 of the tank 3. In other words, the axis 5b of the rotating shaft 5a is positioned along the radial direction of the tank 3. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the axis 5b of the rotating shaft 5a is set to the same height as the cylindrical shaft 33.

[0027] The radiator 4 and fan 5 are positioned on the outside of the tank 3 (in this case, on the outside in the left-right direction D2, i.e., laterally), facing the outer surface 3A, and separated from the outer surface 3A by a small gap. In this arrangement, if a force is applied to the radiator 4 from the outside, it is conceivable that the radiator 4 and fan 5 may move towards the tank 3.

[0028] Specifically, when another vehicle collides with the tank from the side (side collision), the radiator 4 and fan 5 may move towards the tank 3. If the radiator 4 and fan 5 move towards the tank 3, there is a possibility that the tank 3 may be damaged due to the impact of the fan 5's rotation axis 5a colliding with the tank 3. Therefore, in the cooling device 1 of this embodiment, even if the radiator 4 and fan 5 move toward the tank 3, the fan 5 is formed in a curved shape with its tip 50 convex inward in the left-right direction D2 (i.e., toward the tank 3), so as to prevent damage to the tank 3 from the impact of the fan 5.

[0029] [1-2.Detailed structure] Here, we will describe an example configuration for mounting the radiator 4 (and fan 5) on the outside of the tank 3. The radiator 4 (and fan 5) is attached to the outside of the side rail 7 via a subframe 9 that is positioned outside the radiator 4 in the left-right direction D2. The subframe 9 is a component for mounting the radiator 4 (and fan 5) to the outside of the side rail 7. The subframe 9 consists of a rectangular frame that, for example, is positioned to surround the radiator 4 above, below, and in the front and back directions when viewed from the outside in the left-right direction D2.

[0030] The radiator 4 is fixed to the inside of the subframe 9, for example, via a bracket (not shown). That is, in vehicle 2 of Figure 1, the subframe 9, radiator 4, fan 5, and tank 3 are arranged in this order from the outside to the inside in the left-right direction D2. Support structures 13A and 13B are provided at the front and rear ends of the subframe 9, respectively, for supporting the subframe 9 on the side rails 7. Each support structure 13A and 13B includes a base portion 10 fixed to the outside of the side rails 7, a first support portion 11 extending outward from the base portion 10, and a second support portion 12 attached to the outside of the first support portion 11.

[0031] The base portion 10 serves as a bracket for fixing the support structures 13A and 13B to the side rail 7. The base portion 10 is fastened, for example, on its inner surface in the left-right direction D2 to the outer surface (web) of the side rail 7 in the left-right direction D2, for example, by bolts and nuts.

[0032] The first support portion 11 and the second support portion 12 serve as brackets that support the subframe 9 at a distance from the side rail 7. The first support portion 11 is fixed to the base portion 10 at its inner end and extends outward from the inner end in an arm-like shape when viewed from above. The second support portion 12 is attached to the outer end of the first support portion 11. The second support portion 12 is a bracket for attaching the subframe 9 to the outer end of the first support portion 11.

[0033] An example of the configuration of the support structure 13A will be explained with reference to Figure 2. The first support part 11 consists of a rectangular frame when viewed from the front-rear direction D1, and is fixed to the side rail 7 via the base part 10 at the upper inner side in the left-right direction D2. This first support part 11 supports the front end of the tank 3 via the bracket 11D. The second support portion 12 is provided at a distance from the upper and lower ends of the outer surface of the first support portion 11, and the upper and lower second support portions 12 support the upper and lower parts of the subframe 9.

[0034] Each upper and lower second support section 12 includes a tank-side bracket 12A, a subframe bracket 12B, and a connecting section 12C. The tank-side bracket 12A is fixed to the first support portion 11, for example, with bolts and nuts, and has an extension portion 12D that extends outward from the first support portion 11. The subframe bracket 12B is a bracket that extends inward from the subframe 9 and is provided opposite the extension portion 12D of the tank-side bracket 12A. The connecting portion 12C is the part that connects the extension portion 12D of the tank-side bracket 12A to the subframe bracket 12B, and is composed of, for example, a rubber bush that can suppress vibration.

[0035] Furthermore, the support structure 13B that supports the rear end of the subframe 9 can be configured to be substantially the same as the support structure 13A shown in Figure 2, except that it supports the tank 3 and the rear end of the subframe 9.

[0036] Next, we will describe the main components of the fan 5, specifically, an example of the configuration of the tip section 50. Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the main part of the right-hand fan 5 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the tip portion 50 includes a curved portion 51 that protrudes inward in the left-right direction D2 (i.e., toward the tank 3 side) and a base portion 52 connected to the rotating shaft 5a. The curved portion 51 is a part formed in a curved shape that allows the tip portion 50 to slide upward or downward along the outer surface 3A of the tank 3 when it comes into contact with the outer surface 3A. The specific shape and dimensions of the curved surface of the curved portion 51 can be appropriately determined by simulation or experiment. As an example, the curved portion 51 in Figure 3 is formed in a hemispherical shape. The base portion 52 is a cylindrical part connected to the curved portion 51. The surface of the base portion 52 opposite to the curved portion 51 (i.e., the surface connected to the rotation axis 5a) is not curved and is a flat surface.

[0037] Furthermore, the radial dimension S1 of the tip portion 50 is set to be larger than the radial dimension S2 of the part of the rotating shaft 5a other than the tip portion 50 (the radial dimension of the rotating shaft 5a). By setting the radial dimension S1 of the tip portion 50 to be larger than the radial dimension S2 of the rotating shaft 5a, the impact force when the rotating shaft 5a of the fan 5 collides with the tank 3 can be suppressed compared to when dimension S1 is set to be approximately the same as dimension S2. Note that the radial dimension S1 of the tip portion 50 is the dimension of the largest part of the radial dimension of the tip portion 50. Specifically, dimension S1 is the radial dimension of the base portion 52.

[0038] Furthermore, the tip portion 50 of this embodiment is detachably attached to the rotating shaft 5a. That is, the tip portion 50 is made of a separate component from the rotating shaft 5a and can be attached to or detached from the end of the rotating shaft 5a. Thus, the tip portion 50, which is detachably attached to the rotating shaft 5a, can be described as a cap member that can be retrofitted to the rotating shaft 5a of an existing fan 5. Note that the tip portion 50 may also be formed integrally with the rotating shaft 5a.

[0039] [2. Action and Effects] (1) According to the cooling system 1 of this embodiment, the radiator 4 is positioned outside the tank 3, and the fan 5 is positioned between the tank 3 and the radiator 4. Therefore, if another vehicle collides with the radiator 4 from the outside, causing the radiator 4 and the fan 5 to move towards the tank 3, the impact from the collision will act in the order of radiator 4, fan 5, and tank 3. Since the tip 50 of the rotating shaft 5a of the fan 5 (cooling fan) is formed in a curved shape that protrudes toward the outer surface 3A of the tank 3, even if the fan 5 moves toward the tank 3 due to an impact and the tip 50 of the rotating shaft 5a of the fan 5 comes into contact with the outer surface 3A of the cylindrical tank 3, the tip 50 is likely to slide along the outer surface 3A of the tank 3, either upward or downward. Therefore, the impact force acting on the tank 3 from the rotating shaft 5a of the fan 5 can be reduced. Thus, damage to the tank 3 when it is hit from the outside of the radiator 4 can be prevented.

[0040] (2) Furthermore, the radial dimension S1 of the tip portion 50 is greater than the radial dimension S2 of the portion of the rotating shaft 5a other than the tip portion 50. With this configuration, the radial dimension S1 of the tip portion 50 is larger than the radial dimension S2 of the portion of the rotating shaft 5a other than the tip portion 50. Compared to setting dimension S1 to be approximately the same as dimension S2, the impact force when the rotating shaft 5a of the fan 5 collides with the tank 3 can be suppressed. As a result, the tip portion 50 can slide more easily on the outer surface 3A of the tank 3, and damage to the tank 3 can be prevented more reliably. (3) The tip portion 50 may also have a curved cap member detachably attached to it. With this configuration, the cap member is detachably attached to the tip 50 of the fan 5, so damage to the tank 3 can be prevented with a simple configuration that only requires retrofitting the cap member to the cooling fan of an existing vehicle's cooling system.

[0041] (5) In addition, in the cooling system 1 according to this embodiment, the tank 3 may be positioned on the structure 2A in a orientation along the longitudinal direction D1 of the vehicle 2, and the radiator 4 may be positioned outside the tank 3 in the left-right direction D2 of the vehicle 2. With this configuration, since the radiator 4 is positioned on the side of the vehicle 2, damage to the tank 3 can be prevented even if another vehicle collides with the vehicle from the side (side collision).

[0042] (6) In addition, in the cooling system 1 according to this embodiment, the structure 2A of the vehicle 2 is a chassis frame 6 having a ladder frame structure, and the chassis frame 6 is composed of a pair of side rails 7 extending in the front-rear direction D1 and a cross member 8 mounted on the pair of side rails 7 and extending in the left-right direction D2, and the tank 3 and radiator 4 may be mounted on the outside of the side rails 7. With this configuration, the heavy high-pressure gas tank 3 and radiator 4 can be stably mounted on the side rails 7 of the highly rigid chassis frame 6.

[0043] [3. Others] The configuration of the cooling device 1 in the above embodiment is just one example. For example, the tip 50 of the cooling fan 5 is not limited to the configuration consisting of a hemispherical curved portion 51 and a base portion 52 as described above. Figure 4(A) is an explanatory diagram of a modified tip 53. The tip 53 shown in Figure 4(A) is formed in a spherical shape. In addition, the diameter S3 of the tip 53 is set to be larger than the radial dimension S2 of the rotating shaft 5a. In this case, since the spherical tip 53 comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface 3A (not shown) of the tank 3 (not shown), the tip 53 is more likely to slide on the outer circumferential surface 3A (not shown) of the tank 3 (not shown). Therefore, damage to the tank 3 can be prevented more reliably.

[0044] Figure 4(B) is an explanatory diagram of the tip portion 54 according to another modified example. The tip portion 54 shown in Figure 4(B) is integrally formed with the rotating shaft 5a and does not include any portion whose radial dimension is larger than the radial dimension S2 of the rotating shaft 5a. Even with this shape of tip portion 54, the tip portion 54 contacts the outer circumferential surface 3A (not shown) of the tank 3 (not shown) with its curved surface, so it is easy for it to slide along the outer circumferential surface 3A (not shown) of the tank 3 (not shown). Therefore, damage to the tank 3 when it is subjected to an impact from the outside of the radiator 4 can be prevented. Figures 4(A) and 4(B) show the fan 5 provided on the right-side cooling device 1 shown in Figure 2.

[0045] The shape, arrangement, and number of radiators 4 and fans 5 are examples only. For example, the radiators are not limited to flat plates extending in the front-to-back direction D1 and the up-to-down direction D3, but may also have a curved shape resembling a "V" when viewed from the front-to-back direction D1. Figure 5 shows a modified example of the radiator. As shown in Figure 5, two radiators 4U and 4D may be arranged side by side in the vertical direction D3 and in an inclined position facing the outer surface 3A of the tank 3. In other words, when viewed from the front-rear direction D1, radiators 4U and 4D and fans 5U and 5D may be provided on the upper outer and lower outer sides of the tank 3, respectively. Furthermore, while the fan 5 is integrally attached to the radiator 4, this is not limited to this configuration, and the radiator 4 and fan 5 may be separate components.

[0046] Each radiator 4U, 4D is fitted with a fan 5U, 5D, and the tip 50 of the rotating shaft 5a of each fan 5U, 5D is formed in a curved shape. Even with this configuration, when the fans 5U, 5D move toward the tank 3 due to an external impact on the radiator 4, the curved tip 50 comes into contact with the outer surface 3A of the tank 3, thus preventing damage to the tank 3. Furthermore, this configuration, in which two radiators 4U and 4D are arranged side by side in the vertical direction D3, allows for adjustment of the position and orientation of each radiator 4U and 4D, thus increasing the flexibility of the layout.

[0047] Furthermore, the radiator 4 may be located outside the outer circumferential surface 3A of the tank 3, and is not limited to being located to the side of the outer circumferential surface 3A. For example, the radiator 4 may be located above or below the outer circumferential surface 3A of the tank 3. Furthermore, the structure 2A on which the radiator 4 is located is not limited to the side rail 7. The structure 2A on which the radiator 4 is located may, for example, be a front rail located at the front of the vehicle 2. In this case, the tank 3 is located in front of the front rail, and the radiator 4 is located outside (in this case, in front of) the tank 3, with a fan 5 provided between the tank 3 and the radiator 4. With this configuration, interference between the tank 3 and the fan 5 is suppressed in the event of a frontal collision (front impact), thus preventing damage to the tank 3.

[0048] The shape, arrangement, and number of tanks 3 described above are examples only. At least one tank 3 should be located outside the left and right side rails 7 in the left-right direction D2. Furthermore, the high-pressure gas contained in tanks 3 is not limited to hydrogen gas. Furthermore, although the tank 3 is attached to the bracket 11D of the first support portion 11 in the above embodiment, it may also be attached to the chassis frame 6 (side rail 7). Furthermore, the vehicle 2 to which the above-described cooling device 1 is applied is not limited to a fuel cell vehicle.

[0049] [4. Addendum] Further details regarding the above embodiments are disclosed.

[0050] (Note 1) The radiator is located outside the cylindrical high-pressure gas tank mounted on the vehicle's skeletal structure, The system includes a cooling fan positioned between the high-pressure gas tank and the radiator, with one end of its rotating shaft facing the outer surface of the high-pressure gas tank. The cooling fan is formed such that its tip is curved and convex toward the outer surface. A vehicle cooling system characterized by the following features. (Note 2) The radial dimension of the tip portion is greater than the radial dimension of the portion of the rotation axis other than the tip portion. A cooling system for a vehicle as described in Appendix 1, characterized by the features described herein. (Note 3) The aforementioned tip is formed in a spherical shape. A cooling device for a vehicle as described in Appendix 1 or 2, characterized by the above. (Note 4) The tip portion is detachably mounted on the rotating shaft. A cooling system for a vehicle as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 3, characterized by the above. (Note 5) The high-pressure gas tank is positioned relative to the structure in an orientation along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The radiator is positioned on the outside of the vehicle in the left-right direction relative to the high-pressure gas tank. A cooling system for a vehicle as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 4, characterized by the above. (Note 6) The aforementioned structure is a chassis frame having a ladder frame structure, and the chassis frame is composed of a pair of side rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a cross member mounted on the pair of side rails and extending in the lateral direction of the vehicle. The high-pressure gas tank and the radiator are mounted on the outside of the side rail. A cooling system for a vehicle as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 5, characterized by the above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0051] 1 Cooling device 2 vehicles 2A structure 3. Tanks (high-pressure gas tanks) 3A Outer surface 4,4D,4U Radiator 5.5D.5U Fan (Cooling Fan) 5a Rotation axis 5b Axis center 6 Chassis Frame 7 Side rails 8 Cross Member 9 Subframes 10 Base section 11 First support part 11D Bracket 12 Second support part 12A Tank-side bracket 12B Subframe Bracket 12C connection part 12D extension 13A Support structure 13B Support structure 14 Cooling Unit 31 Main body 32 End 33 Cylinder shaft 50 Tip 51 Curved section 52 Base 53 Tip 54 Tip D1 Vehicle length direction (front / rear direction) D2 Vehicle width direction (left-right direction) D3 Vehicle height direction (vertical direction)

Claims

1. The radiator is located outside the cylindrical high-pressure gas tank mounted on the vehicle's skeletal structure, The system includes a cooling fan positioned between the high-pressure gas tank and the radiator, with one end of its rotating shaft facing the outer surface of the high-pressure gas tank. The cooling fan is formed such that its tip is curved and convex toward the outer surface. A vehicle cooling system characterized by the following features.

2. The radial dimension of the tip portion is greater than the radial dimension of the portion of the rotation axis other than the tip portion. A vehicle cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a vehicle cooling device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned tip is formed in a spherical shape. A vehicle cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a vehicle cooling device according to claim 1.

4. The tip portion is detachably mounted on the rotating shaft. A vehicle cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a vehicle cooling device according to claim 1.

5. The high-pressure gas tank is positioned relative to the structure in an orientation along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The radiator is positioned on the outside of the vehicle in the left-right direction relative to the high-pressure gas tank. A vehicle cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a vehicle cooling device according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned structure is a chassis frame having a ladder frame structure, and the chassis frame is composed of a pair of side rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a cross member mounted on the pair of side rails and extending in the lateral direction of the vehicle. The high-pressure gas tank and the radiator are mounted on the outside of the side rail. A vehicle cooling device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a vehicle cooling device according to claim 1.

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