Fan design and method of operating

A method of cooling a radiator in an internal combustion engine wherein a plurality of fan assemblies is provided. Specifically, each fan assembly has a housing with an interior containing a fan blade and an exterior having six sides to form a hexagonal perimeter. The fan assemblies are then arranged side by side to form a cluster of fan assemblies in order to maximize the amount of fan assemblies that may be provided on an enclosure. The cluster of fan assemblies is then placed adjacent to a radiator to control the air flow over the radiator in order to cool the engine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to hydraulically powered vehicles. More specifically, this invention relates to electric fans used to cool an engine of an internal combustion engine powered vehicle.

Electrically powered engine cooling fans as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2are known in the art. Typically, the fan is within a cylindrical housing and uses a series of mounting tabs to mount a cluster of fans on some type of enclosure or body. The body or enclosure guides air flow over a radiator or radiators that are associated with an internal combustion engine, air condition system, or the like. Specifically, the fans are arranged in a side by side position with space in between.

Because the fans of the prior art must be attached to a larger surface such fans are necessarily spaced a distance apart on the enclosure surface so that the enclosure surface will maintain sufficient strength and rigidity to support the fans. Thus, there exists a need in the art for an improved fan design that can be packed efficiently.

Another problem with the present fans set up is that this configuration results in poor aerodynamic performance of the fan assembly. Specifically, air cannot flow smoothly into the fan assemblies using this fan arrangement.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method and apparatus for cooling a radiator of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus contains a plurality of fan assemblies wherein each fan assembly has a housing with an interior than contains a fan blade and an exterior with six sides to form a hexagonal perimeter. The plurality of fan assemblies are placed adjacent one another such that a first side of a first fan assembly is adjacent or interconnected to the first side of a second fan assembly in order to form a cluster of fan assemblies. The cluster of fan assemblies is then placed adjacent a radiator in order to control the air flow over the radiator thus cooling the engine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 3 and 4show a fan assembly20having a housing30. Housing30comprises a shroud portion31with a substantially circular inner diameter32designed to encompass a fan blade, a hexagonal portion33designed to facilitate interconnection of adjacent fan units, a plurality of spokes34that connect a central motor housing35to the shroud portion31of the housing30. Housing30additionally comprises a pocket36and a spindle37that serves to support a motor and optional electronic circuit. A cutout slot38is optionally provided for installation of an electrical or other power connector that will provide power to the fan assembly. Alternatively, slot38is optionally used for other power or control connector such as a hydraulic or pneumatic tubing connector. The housing30additionally contains a fan blade41for controlling the flow of air through the assembly.

FIG. 5illustrates how an electrical connector51is located in the provided cutout slot38in the housing30.FIG. 5also teaches that a plurality of thru holes52and optionally a plurality of tapped holes53are provided for assembling one fan to another fan in an array. Additionally, a plurality of axial holes54are provided for affixing the fan assembly40to a suitable enclosure. Also, an aerodynamic arcuate or curved surface55is provided to transition from a hexagonal inner diameter56on the back of the fan assembly to a circular inner diameter32on the front of the fan.

FIG. 6is an exploded view of an assembly of several fan assemblies or units20. The exploded assembly comprises several fan assemblies20, a plurality of axial bolts61that affix the fan assembly to an enclosure, a plurality of transverse bolts62that affix one fan unit to another, and optionally, if the fan assemblies or units are designed with sides that are not perpendicular to the face, a plurality of wedges63that space the fan sides. Fan blades are omitted fromFIG. 6for clarity. Similarly,FIG. 7illustrates an assembly70of eight fan units20.FIG. 8illustrates the interconnection of three fan units with bolts61and the connection to an enclosure with bolts62.FIG. 9illustrates the assembly90of eight fans20of the present design that are assembled to a five sided enclosure91that serves to duct the air flow from the fans through at least one radiator92.

In operation an assembly70or90having a plurality of fan assemblies20is placed within an internal combustion engine powered vehicle adjacent a plurality of radiators. An electronic control circuit can then be adapted to determine the level of cooling that is required by each radiator and adjust the rotational speed of each fan to provide improved and desired cooling of each radiator without excessively cooling the radiator. Similarly, in times of low cooling demand one or more fan assemblies70or90are deactivated or run at reduced speed within the assembly70or90.

In this manner, one may place a cluster of multiple fans adjacent to desired radiators in order to control the flow of cooling air over the radiators independently. For instance, in some vehicles an engine coolant radiator may be placed next to a transmission oil cool radiator and next to a charge air cooling radiator. Thus, a cluster of fans or an assembly70or90may be placed at each such that each assembly70or90may be controlled independently for desired cooling. The assembly70or90may be powered by direct current electricity, alternately currently electricity, single phase electricity, three phase electricity, poly phase electricity, flow of hydraulic fluids, flow of pressurized air, steam power, direct mechanical drive, mechanical built drive, or the like without falling outside the scope of this description.

Thus, the assembly70or90overcomes the shortcomings of prior art by providing cooling fans that are substantially hexagonal in shape. The hexagons are efficiently arranged in a “tiled” manner to completely and efficiently cover an area. Additionally, clusters of fans may be used independently in order to control air flow over separate individual radiators associated with an engine air conditioning system, hybrid drive system, or other fluid cooled electrical component or system. Thus, at the very least all of the stated objectives have been met.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other various modifications could be made to the device without departing from the spirit in scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby.