Abstract:
The present invention is directed toward apparatuses for cleaning or cooling a vehicle component and methods of installing and operating such apparatuses on vehicle components, such as radiators of newly manufactured vehicles or radiators of used vehicles, vehicle air filters, oil filters or other suitable components.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Radiator fins in radiators of work vehicles, such as earth moving equipment, trucks, tractors, fork lifts, and etc., that operate in dusty or wet conditions or other environments having airborne debris tend to become clogged with debris. When radiator fins become clogged, the heat exchange efficiency of the radiator is reduced which may result in engine overheating and its attendant problems, such as potential damage to the engine; a reduced work capacity for the vehicle, for example, from de-rating the engine&#39;s performance as a result of overheating, including shutting the vehicle down; or a combination of the foregoing. 
         [0002]    Radiators with clogged fins in a vehicle may be difficult to clean because of limited access to such radiators. Common cleaning methods include brushing clogged radiators to remove debris from between the fins, washing with pressurized fluids to force debris out from between the fins, and inserting a cleaning instrument between the fins to dislodge debris. Such commonly used methods are likely to result in radiator damage, such as bent or broken radiator fins, as a result of cleaning, which also decreases the heat exchange efficiency for a radiator and may result in in engine overheating and its attendant problems. 
         [0003]    One device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,418,997, uses moveable members, preferably two attached at different corners of a radiator and each driven by a motor, to direct compressed air through a radiator core to dislodge debris. 
         [0004]    Another device, described in GB 2,462,109, discloses an apparatus that uses liquid and air fluids to clean a refrigeration condenser. 
       SUMMARY  
       [0005]    The present inventors have recognized a need for a relatively simple device for cleaning debris from a fluid passage, such as between radiator fins, and diagnosing when such cleaning efforts may not be effective, may damage the fluid passage, or may damage the cleaning device. The present inventors have also recognized a need for a radiator cleaning device that can be used with used vehicles, for example, work vehicles and trains, and on stationary devices. In particular, the present inventors have recognized that used vehicles tend to have radiators that may not be in-square, that is, the corners of such radiators may not be at substantially right angles. Not having substantially right angles may hinder attaching an in-square apparatus to a radiator, for instance, because the angles of the radiator corners are not known, and may be different from one used radiator to another. The present invention is directed toward apparatuses for one or more of cleaning, warming, or cooling a vehicle component, or other device that has a fluid passage, diagnosing when cleaning by the apparatus is not effective, diagnosing when operation of the apparatus may damage one or both of the apparatus and the item being cleaned, methods of operating such apparatuses, and methods of installing such apparatuses on vehicle components, such as radiators of newly manufactured vehicles or radiators of used vehicles, vehicle air filters, oil filters or other suitable components. Embodiments of the present invention may meet one or more of the above-identified needs. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a radiator cleaning apparatus installed on a radiator that has been removed from a vehicle. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a left view of a portion of the radiator cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1  being installed on a radiator that has been removed from a vehicle. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a right isometric view of another portion of the radiator cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1  being installed on a radiator that has been removed from a vehicle. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a front left isometric view of the upper bracket and guide assembly of the radiator cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates a close-up partial front left isometric view of the upper bracket and guide assembly of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates a right isometric view of another portion of the radiator cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1  being installed on a radiator that has been removed from a vehicle. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  illustrates a top isometric view of the cleaning assembly of  FIG. 1  with the cover removed to show the air knife. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  illustrates a partial front isometric view of the radiator cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  illustrates a top right isometric view of another portion of the radiator cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1  being installed on a radiator that has been removed from a vehicle. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  illustrates a close-up partial left view of the radiator cleaning apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  illustrates a front view of another radiator cleaning apparatus installed on a radiator that has been removed from a vehicle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a radiator cleaning apparatus  10  affixed to a radiator  15  that is outside of a vehicle (not illustrated) for clarity purposes. In some embodiments, radiator  15  is a used radiator located in a vehicle. 
         [0018]    Radiator cleaning apparatus  10  comprises a bottom bracket  20  rigidly affixed proximate to a radiator bottom end  25 , in other words, the end of radiator  15  that is located closest to the ground when in a vehicle. An upper bracket  30  is rigidly affixed proximate to a radiator top end  35  that is opposite the radiator bottom end  25 . A guide assembly is connected between the bottom bracket  20  and the upper bracket  30 . An exemplary guide assembly includes two rods  40  with one end of each rod  40  affixed to the bottom bracket  20  and the other end of each rod  40  affixed to the upper bracket  30 . In one embodiment, rods  40  are made from a high stiffness, low friction, and dimensionally stable material such as polyoxymethylene. 
         [0019]    A cleaning assembly  45  engages the guide assembly for sliding movement over at least a portion of a radiator face  50 . In one embodiment, the cleaning assembly  45  includes a fluid delivery device, such as air knife  55  ( FIG. 7 ), attached to a cleaning bracket  60  that engages the rods  40  via apertures  65 . The cleaning assembly  45  may have other fluid delivery device configurations that deliver gaseous or liquid fluids such as air or water. Air is a preferred fluid in some embodiments, for example, to avoid cleaning up wet debris resulting from using liquid fluids. Alternate fluid delivery devices include, singularly or in any combination, different air knives, different air delivery devices, a mixed air and liquid delivery device, a vapor delivery device, and a liquid delivery device. Optionally, a brush may be attached to the fluid delivery device and configured to contact a surface of a fluid passage to effect mechanical cleaning of the fluid passage in addition to the cleaning performed by the fluid delivery device. Optionally, a fluid delivery device may deliver matter along with the fluid. For example, anti-rust coatings, such as POR-15® rust preventative paint or other suitable materials, friction-reducing coatings, such as polytetrafluoroethylene or other suitable material, or materials for other suitable purposes may be dispensed via the fluid flowing through a fluid delivery device. 
         [0020]    In other embodiments, an assembly, such as a reversible fan, may be used to move cooling air in one direction through a radiator and to reverse the airflow direction to blow debris from the radiator as described in further detail below. In other embodiments, an assembly may be associated with a filter or screen for cleaning such filter or screen of debris or fluids such as particulate matter, water, or oil. 
         [0021]    Preferably, cleaning bracket  60  and the guide assembly interact via a low friction interface by using a low friction material such as polyoxymethylene to make at least a portion of the guide assembly, the cleaning bracket  60 , or both. For example, the portion of cleaning bracket  60  through which apertures  65  pass may be made of polyoxymethylene or other suitable low friction material, or a suitable low friction material may line apertures  65 . A fluid conduit  70  is attached to the air knife  55  for delivering pressurized air to air knife  55 . Preferably, the outlet of the fluid delivery device is arranged to move fluid substantially normal to the radiator face  50  and through the radiator  15 . Fluid may be directed through the radiator  15  via the radiator cleaning apparatus  10  in a direction opposite to the direction in which a fan, not illustrated, either pushes or pulls air through the radiator  15 . Providing fluid via the radiator cleaning apparatus  10  where such fluid is moved in a direction opposite to the direction in which a fan moves air through the radiator  15  may, singularly or in any combination, cause debris to blow-off of the fins of the radiator  15 , inhibit a build-up of debris on the radiator  15 , or inhibit debris from binding to the fins of radiator  15 . In some embodiments, fluid is directed through the radiator  15  via the radiator cleaning apparatus  10  in the same direction as the direction in which a fan either pushes or pulls air through the radiator  15  to, singularly or in any combination, cause debris to blow-off of the fins of the radiator  15 , inhibit a build-up of debris on the radiator  15 , or inhibit debris from binding to the fins of radiator  15 . The captive fluid conduit  70  is received in a guide  75  for sliding motion. The guide  75  is attached to the upper bracket  30 . 
         [0022]    In operation, a vehicle operator stops a vehicle equipped with cleaning apparatus  10  and connects the end  80  of the fluid conduit  70  to a pressurized air source, such as shop air at 90 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi). Other sources of pressurized air may be used, and, generally, a higher pressure air results in a greater cleaning ability for the cleaning apparatus  10 . The operator then manually raises and lowers the cleaning apparatus  10  one or more times, for example, by manipulating the fluid conduit  70 , to remove debris such as from between the fins of radiator  15 . The guide assembly maintains the orientation of the air knife  55  with respect to the radiator face  50  while the cleaning apparatus is moved. Optionally, the guide assembly also maintains a relatively constant distance between the air knife  55  and the radiator face  50 . The pressurized air source is disconnected from the fluid conduit  70  and operation of the vehicle resumes. 
         [0023]    In other embodiments, the pressurized air source may reside on the vehicle so the operator does not need to connect and disconnect the fluid conduit  70  and the pressurized air. In other embodiments, an optional actuator, such as a linear actuator, or a device configured to rotate threaded rod  135  ( FIG. 11 ), such as electric motor  130 , other suitable motor, or other suitable actuator is connected to the cleaning apparatus  10 A for movement along the guide assembly. For example, a linear actuator may be connected between the radiator  15  and the fluid conduit  70  and arranged such that actuation of the linear actuator lifts and lowers the cleaning assembly  45 . In other embodiments, electric motor  130  rotates threaded rod  135 , bearing a worm gear or other suitable thread, and a lead screw  140 , or other suitable device, associated with cleaning bracket  60 A cooperates with the rotating threaded rod  135  to move the cleaning assembly  45 A along the guide assembly. 
         [0024]    In other embodiments, the guide may be horizontal instead of vertical, and the cleaning apparatus  10  may move across a radiator  15  instead of up and down the radiator  15 . 
         [0025]    A method of attaching the cleaning apparatus  10  to an in-square or to an out-of-square radiator  15  is described with reference to  FIGS. 2-10 . In summary, one method of installing in a vehicle a cleaning apparatus, such as cleaning apparatus  10 , involves: accessing a component of the vehicle; rigidly affixing a bottom bracket proximate to a bottom end of the component closest to the ground; rigidly affixing a guide assembly to the bottom bracket; slidingly engaging an assembly having a fluid delivery conduit to the guide assembly; non-rigidly affixing a guide to an upper bracket; rigidly affixing the upper bracket proximate to an upper end of the component opposite the bottom end of the component such that the fluid delivery conduit of the assembly passes slidingly through the guide of the upper bracket; rigidly affixing the guide assembly to the upper bracket; and rigidly affixing the guide to the upper bracket. 
         [0026]    Typically, a radiator  15  will have a radiator lower bracket  85  that assists supporting the radiator  15  in a vehicle (not illustrated for clarity). There is commonly a channel  90  formed between the radiator  15  and its supporting radiator lower bracket  85 . The bottom bracket  20  is preferably rigidly affixed proximate to the bottom end  25  of radiator  15  by sliding a portion of the bottom bracket  20  into the channel  90 . For example, a clearance fit into the channel  90  may permit some movement of the bottom bracket  20  with respect to the radiator lower bracket  85  that is restricted by contact between the bottom bracket sidewalls  100  and the radiator lower bracket  85 . Preferably, bottom bracket  20  is inserted into channel  90  with a location interference fit where movement in the direction of radiator left side  105  and right side  110  is also restricted by contact between bottom bracket sidewalls  100  and the radiator lower bracket  85 . In other embodiments, the bottom bracket  20  may be rigidly affixed proximate to the bottom end  25  of radiator  15  using bolts, welding, or other suitable means. Preferably, the bottom bracket  20  is not indexed to the radiator  15 , in other words, the angular relationship between bottom bracket  20 , the radiator bottom end  25 , the radiator left side  105 , and the radiator right side  110  is not important. 
         [0027]    A guide assembly for guiding the cleaning assembly  45  along the radiator face  50  is rigidly attached to the bottom bracket  20 . In one embodiment, a guide assembly comprises two rods  40  that are made from a high stiffness, low friction, and dimensionally stable material such as polyoxymethylene, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, polyamide-imide, polyether ether ketone, or other suitable material, that are rigidly affixed to the bottom bracket  20  by screws and lock washers, an interference fit, matching threads cut into the rods  40  and apertures in the bottom bracket  20 , bolts, or other suitable means. Other guide assemblies may include one or more T-shaped or C-shaped rails or other suitable guiding structures rigidly affixed to a bottom bracket, such as bottom bracket  20 . Preferably, the guide assembly is positioned toward the left side  105 , the right side  110 , or both, of the radiator  15  to minimize impact on air flow through radiator  15 . In some embodiments, the guide assembly may be rigidly affixed to the bottom bracket  20  before bottom bracket  20  is rigidly affixed proximate to the radiator bottom  25 . 
         [0028]    Upper bracket  30 , which includes two elongate sections  31  in the illustrated embodiment, is non-rigidly joined to the guide  75 , for example using bolts and nuts that are threaded together, but not tightened. One purpose for non-rigidly joining the upper bracket  30  to the guide  75  is to permit movement between the upper bracket  30  and the guide  75  to facilitate aligning the guide assembly, such as rods  40 , and the cleaning assembly  45  with the upper bracket  30  and guide  75  combination to facilitate sliding movement of the cleaning assembly  45  over the guide assembly. 
         [0029]    The cleaning assembly  45  comprises an air knife  55  having an air knife cover  115  affixed to a cleaning bracket  60 . Exemplary air knives include the Exair® Super Air Knife™ manufactured by Exair® Corporation of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Standard Air Blade™ manufactured by Next Flow™ Air Products Corp. of Richmond Hill, Ontario. An air knife cover  115  preferably protects the air knife  55  from damage caused by impinging debris and from becoming clogged with debris. The cleaning assembly  45  also comprises a fluid conduit  70  communicating with an air plenum of air knife  55 , for example, via a threaded connection that is optionally sealed by a liquid or solid sealant, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene tape. While it is preferred that the fluid conduit is a rigid pipe, the fluid conduit may be made from other materials, or combinations of materials, such as flexible hosing, semi-rigid hosing, or other suitable material. 
         [0030]    The cleaning assembly  45  is engaged to the guide assembly in a sliding manner. For example, rods  40  are passed through apertures  65  in cleaning bracket  60 . Rods  40  have an outer diameter and apertures  65  have an inner diameter that facilitates cleaning assembly  45  sliding over rods  40 . For example, rods  40  may have an outer diameter of approximately 0.5 inch and apertures  65  may have an inner diameter of approximately 0.75 inch, but other suitable sizes and clearances between the cleaning assembly and the guide assembly may be used. Optionally, the cleaning bracket  60  may have circularly arranged brushes surrounding each aperture  65  that are sized and arranged to contact rods  40  to facilitate removing debris from the rods  40  as the cleaning assembly  45  slides over rods  40 . Such circular brushes, if included, may also hinder particle from entering into and accumulating in the apertures  65 . 
         [0031]    The end  80  of fluid conduit  70  slides through the guide  75 . Fluid conduit  70  has an outer diameter and the aperture  76  in the guide  75  has an inner diameter that facilitates the cleaning fluid conduit  70  sliding through guide  75 . For example, the fluid conduit  70  may have an outer diameter of approximately 0.75 inch to approximately 1.00 inch and the aperture  76  may have an inner diameter of approximately 0.78 inch to approximately 1.03 inch, but other suitable sizes and clearances may be used. Optionally, the guide  75  may have circularly arranged brushes surrounding the aperture  76  that are sized and arranged to contact the fluid conduit  70  to facilitate removing debris from fluid conduit  70  as the fluid conduit  70  slides through the aperture  76 . 
         [0032]    The upper bracket  30  is rigidly secured proximate to the top end  35  of the radiator  15 . Typically, the radiator  15  will have a radiator top bracket  120  that assists supporting the radiator  15  in the vehicle. There is commonly a channel  125  formed between the radiator  15  and its supporting radiator top bracket  120 . The upper bracket  30  is preferably rigidly affixed proximate to the top end  35  of the radiator  15  by sliding a portion of the upper bracket  30  into the channel  125  and securing the upper bracket  30  to the radiator top bracket  120 , for example, using screws, bolts, welding, or other suitable means. Preferably, the upper bracket  30  is not indexed to the radiator  15 , in other words, the angular relationship between the upper bracket  30 , the radiator top end  35 , the radiator left side  105 , and the radiator right side  110  is not important. 
         [0033]    The guide assembly for guiding the cleaning assembly  45  along the radiator face  50  is rigidly attached to the upper bracket  30 . For example, rods  40  are rigidly affixed to the upper bracket  30  by screws and lock washers, an interference fit, a threaded portion cut into the rods  40  extending through apertures in the upper bracket  30  and secured to the upper bracket  30  by nuts, or other suitable means. 
         [0034]    Optionally, the cleaning assembly  45  is slid over the guide assembly to ensure that the cleaning assembly does not substantially bind, for example, when released the cleaning assembly free-falls to the bottom bracket  20 . If the cleaning assembly  45  binds when slid over the guide assembly, the guide  75  may be moved until the cleaning assembly  45 , the rods  40  and the guide  75  facilitate substantially non-binding movement of the cleaning assembly  45 . The guide  75  is rigidly affixed to the upper bracket  30 , for example by tightening nuts and bolts. 
         [0035]    Optionally, regardless of whether the cleaning apparatus  10 , or other suitable apparatus such as a reversible fan, is manually or automatically actuated, a cleaned component parameter, such as fluid flow through the component, component cooling capability, or other suitable condition, singularly or in any combination, are monitored to determine whether the cleaning apparatus  10  needs assistance, for example, to remove debris from the cleaned component. In one embodiment, a baseline airflow through the radiator  15  may be sensed or measured when the radiator  15  is known to be substantially free of debris and such baseline airflow may be communicated to a processor (not illustrated). During use, an airflow sensor detects an initial airflow on a side of the radiator  15  that is opposite the cleaning apparatus  10  and communicates the initial airflow to the processor. In some embodiments, the processor may determine that the cleaning apparatus  10  may not be able to sufficiently remove debris from the radiator  15  based on the initial airflow. For example, a predefined initial airflow may be defined, below which the processor is programmed to alert an operator that the cleaning apparatus will likely need assistance removing debris from the radiator. 
         [0036]    In other embodiments, the airflow sensor also detects airflow subsequent to the initial airflow and communicates such airflows to the processor. The processor analyzes the various airflows received from the airflow sensor and determines whether the cleaning apparatus needs assistance removing debris from the radiator  15  based on the airflow analysis. A determination that additional assistance is needed may be based on detecting, singularly, or in any combination, an insufficiently increased airflow through the radiator  15 , a final airflow that is substantially the same as the baseline airflow, or other suitable indicator. 
         [0037]    Other sensors may be used to detect other conditions that indicate the cleaning device is likely to need assistance clearing a fluid passage. For example, optical sensors may detect an amount of blockage, temperature or fluid demand sensors may indirectly detect an amount of blockage, or contact or power requirement sensors may detect an interference with movement of the cleaning device that indicates the cleaning device is likely to need assistance clearing a fluid passage. 
         [0038]    For example, the processor may compare a final airflow against the baseline airflow to determine whether sufficient debris has been removed such that the radiator  15  is substantially free of debris. Or, the processor may compare an initial airflow against a final airflow to determine whether the cleaning apparatus needs assistance such as by determining that the final airflow is less than a predetermined percentage greater than the initial airflow. Optionally, if the vehicle is equipped with a hydraulic fan to move air through the radiator  15 , the processor may slow the fan speed in response to determining that the cleaning device  10 , or the hydraulic fan itself, has removed sufficient debris from the radiator  15  to reduce the overall amount of energy consumed by the vehicle. 
         [0039]    As another example, a processor may monitor the temperature of the fluid flowing within the radiator  15 . The temperature of the fluid flowing within the radiator  15  before actuating the cleaning device  10  is compared against the temperature of the fluid flowing within the radiator  15  at a predetermined time, for example, approximately 5 seconds, after cessation of actuating the cleaning device  10 . If a sufficient temperature drop in the fluid flowing within the radiator  15  is not present within the predetermined time, for example, in a range of approximately 5 degrees to approximately 30 degrees, the processor signals that the cleaning device  10  needs assistance to remove debris from the radiator  15 . 
         [0040]    As another example, a processor may monitor a thermostat associated with the radiator  15  to determine a demand for coolant. The demand for coolant before actuating the cleaning device  10  is compared against the demand for coolant at a predetermined time, for example, approximately 5 seconds, after cessation of actuating the cleaning device  10 . If the demand for coolant does not drop by a predetermined amount within the predetermined time, the processor signals that the cleaning device  10  needs assistance to remove debris from the radiator  15 . 
         [0041]    As another example, a processor may monitor movement of the cleaning device via a signal from a sensor, such as cleaning device  10 , either across a face of a fluid passage or through a fluid passage, for example, by monitoring for an increase in electrical power needed to move the cleaning device. An increase in the amount of power needed to move the cleaning apparatus may indicate there is interference with moving the cleaning device, such as an object stuck to or in a fluid passage that blocks or partially blocks the travel path of the cleaning device, or dirt adhered to portions of the cleaning device. Such interference with movement of the cleaning device may cause damage to the cleaning device, the fluid passage, or both if additional power is supplied to move the cleaning device. For example, a stick wedged between the fins of radiator  15  could obstruct movement of the cleaning device  10  and power supplied to an actuator to move the cleaning device  10  into contact with the stick may damage the fins of the radiator  15 , or may cause structure of the cleaning device  10  to bend. Any such damage may reduce the cooling efficiency of the radiator  15 , or may increase the power needed to move the cleaning device  10  regardless of whether there is an obstruction because of the bent condition of portions of the cleaning device  10 . 
         [0042]    In some embodiments, the processor is configured to stop the cleaning device from moving in response to receiving a signal indicating that movement of the cleaning device is hindered. In other embodiments, the processor is configured to de-rate a vehicle component in response to receiving a signal indicating that a cleaning device will likely need assistance clearing a fluid passage, for example, an engine&#39;s operating speed may be limited or shut-off. In other embodiments, the processor is configured to send a signal to a remote location, for example, via a vehicle telematics system in response to receiving a signal indicating that a cleaning device will likely need assistance clearing a fluid passage. 
         [0043]    While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, which are preferably relatively inexpensive and easy to maintain it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the below claims. For example, a cleaning assembly, guide assembly, bottom bracket and upper bracket may be suitably sized, arranged and located to facilitate cleaning an intake filter, such as a vehicle&#39;s air filter, or a screen on a vehicle. A cleaning assembly, guide assembly, bottom bracket and upper bracket may be suitably sized, arranged and located to facilitate cooling a fluid that is circulating through a radiator. A cleaning assembly or cooling assembly may be connected to a pressurized fluid source residing on a vehicle, to a drive mechanism for moving the cleaning assembly via operation of a switch located in a driver area of the vehicle, or both.