Air-Cooled Engine Cooling Structure for Work Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cooling structures for working vehicles with water-cooled engines are large and costly due to the need for numerous accessories like radiators and water pumps, which increases the size and expense of the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A cooling structure featuring an air-cooled engine with a fan for cooling the engine and transmission, where air flows generated by the fans are directed towards the engine and transmission, and an oil cooler is positioned between the fans to cool the oil, eliminating the need for a water-cooled system and its associated accessories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a water-cooled engine is used, then the engine cooling function is improved, but the vehicle size and cost increase due to required accessories like radiators and water pumps
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the water-cooling system components (radiator, water pump) from the vehicle, replacing them with an air-cooled engine that uses ambient air for cooling. This reduces device complexity while maintaining cooling effectiveness through direct air flow over the engine and oil cooler.
Solution Approach 2:
The air-cooled engine system uses the vehicle's own motion and ambient air flow to cool both the engine and transmission oil. The fan mounted on the transmission output shaft creates air flow that simultaneously cools the engine and passes through the oil cooler, eliminating the need for separate water-cooling accessories.
2Temperature
If a water-cooled engine with radiator and water pump is installed, then engine cooling is achieved, but the vehicle becomes larger and more costly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the engine cooling function with the transmission oil cooling function into a single air-cooled system. The fan creates a unified air flow path that simultaneously cools both the engine and the oil cooler, eliminating the need for separate water-cooling components and reducing overall vehicle volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The air-cooled engine system performs multiple cooling functions (engine cooling and transmission oil cooling) using a single cooling mechanism. The fan and air flow path serve dual purposes, making the system more compact and cost-effective compared to separate water-cooling systems.
3Temperature
If multiple cooling accessories are added to a working vehicle, then cooling performance is improved, but the cost and size of the vehicle increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive, complex water-cooling accessories (radiator, water pump) with a simpler, more cost-effective air-cooling system using a fan and open air flow path. This significantly reduces manufacturing cost while maintaining adequate cooling performance for the application.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively cools the oil without increasing the vehicle's size or cost, as it utilizes air-cooled fans and an oil cooler to manage the cooling process, reducing the need for additional components like radiators and water pumps.
Implementation Method 1
a fan for cooling the engine... air flows generated by the fans move from adjacent the transmission toward the engine
Implementation Method 2
an oil cooler for cooling fluid supplied to the hydrostatic transmission... disposed to face each of the fans
Implementation Method 3
a fan for cooling the transmission mounted on a rotary shaft operatively connecting the transmission with an output shaft of the air-cooled engine
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling structure for a working vehicle with a transmission disposed rearwardly and downwardly of a driver's seat and having a hydrostatic transmission, and an air-cooled engine disposed rearwardly of the transmission. The cooling structure comprising a fan for cooling the engine and a fan for cooling the transmission mounted on a rotary shaft operatively connecting the transmission with an output shaft of the air-cooled engine, the fans being configured such that air flows generated by the fans move from adjacent the transmission toward the engine; an oil cooler for cooling fluid supplied to the hydrostatic transmission, the oil cooler being disposed between the fan for cooling the engine and the fan for cooling the transmission, and disposed to face each of the fans; and an air guiding plate disposed at a position higher than the oil cooler for guiding air to regions of the fans.