Air inlet and cleaner arrangement for work vehicle

An air inlet arrangement is provided for a work vehicle that has an auxiliary bay external to the engine compartment. The auxiliary bay can have a bay cover in part forming a step panel for the operator. The auxiliary bay contains an air cleaner coupled to an air inlet via air ducting that extends through the engine compartment. In the case of work vehicles having an aftertreatment device within the engine compartment for example, the air duct extends through the engine compartment between a side wall of the engine cover and the engine and/or the aftertreatment device. The air duct can at least in part be formed as a unitary part of the engine cover with multiple tube segments of differing cross-sections. At least the segment passing between the engine cover and the aftertreatment device can be oblong with a major axis essentially parallel to the engine cover side wall.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

Not applicable.

STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to engine intake air arrangements, and in particular to air inlet and cleaner arrangements for work vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Work vehicles, such as various construction, forestry and agricultural machines, often operate in off-road environments with dust, dirt and other air-borne particles in the air. Air filters and cleaners are used to reduce or eliminate such air-borne contaminants present in the engine intake air stream. Ordinarily, such air cleaners are located within the engine compartment in close proximity to the intake manifold or other engine air flow control device.

Modern work vehicles often have emission control devices, commonly referred to as “aftertreatment” devices, used to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter in the exhaust stream. Such aftertreatment devices may be in the form of selective catalytic reduction to lower NOx, and a diesel oxidation catalyst may also be included to reduce remaining particulate matter. Alternatively or in addition, the aftertreatment devices may provide cooled exhaust gas recirculation to reduce NOx paired with an exhaust filter, such as a diesel particulate filter, to reduce particulate matter. In certain vehicle platforms, one or more of these aftertreatment devices may be mounted to the chassis beneath or to the side of the vehicle outside of the engine compartment. However, that may not be possible in some vehicle platforms (e.g., to maintain a minimum ground clearance and the like), in which case one or all of these aftertreatment devices may be mounted within the engine compartment. Available space within the engine compartment, which is often already limited, is thus further reduced. Nonetheless certain components needed for sustained combustion of the engine, such as certain fuel and air delivery components, must, at least in part, be mounted or pass through the engine compartment. The space constraints are worsened in vehicle platforms having a vertical exhaust stack in which exhaust components may also be contained in the engine compartment.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure provides an air inlet arrangement for a work vehicle. Aspects of the disclosure may facilitate mounting emission control equipment within the engine compartment.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a work vehicle, for example having a chassis supporting an engine and an aftertreatment device contained in an engine compartment defined by an engine cover having an air inlet opening. The work vehicle has an auxiliary bay external to the engine compartment. An air cleaner is disposed within the auxiliary bay. Air duct couples the air cleaner to the air inlet opening. The air duct is configured to extend into the engine compartment at least within an interior space defined between the engine cover and at least one of the engine and the aftertreatment device.

Another aspect of the disclosure pertains to a work vehicle having a chassis supporting an engine, an aftertreatment device and an air cleaner. The work vehicle includes at least one vehicle body panel defining an engine compartment containing the engine and the aftertreatment device and defining an auxiliary bay external to the engine compartment containing the air cleaner. An air duct couples the air cleaner to an air inlet opening in the at least one vehicle body panel. The air duct at least in part has a rigid section configured to extend at least into the engine compartment within an interior space defined between the engine cover and at least one of the engine and the aftertreatment device.

In still another aspect, the disclosure provides a work vehicle having a chassis supporting an engine, an aftertreatment device and an air cleaner. The work vehicle includes an engine cover having a top wall with an air inlet opening and upright side walls defining an engine compartment containing the engine and the aftertreatment device. A step panel defines a step platform and an auxiliary bay external to the engine compartment containing the air cleaner. A bay cover is coupled to the step panel to be movable between open and closed positions such that in the closed position the bay cover forms at least a part of the step platform. An air duct couples the air cleaner to the air inlet opening. The air duct can have a rigid section including an oblong segment extending along a reference axis and having an asymmetric cross-section with respect to the reference axis. The cross-section of the oblong segment defines a curved profile that is symmetric about at least one of a major axis and a minor axis, the major and minor axes being perpendicular and intersecting the reference axis of the oblong segment. The air duct extends within the engine compartment such that the major axis of the oblong segment is essentially parallel to at least one of the upright side walls of the engine cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following describes one or more example embodiments of the disclosed work vehicle having a new air inlet and cleaner arrangement, as shown in the accompanying figures of the drawings described briefly above. Various modifications to the example embodiments may be contemplated by one of skill in the art, and it should be understood that the disclosed air inlet and cleaner arrangement may be used with a variety of vehicles in a variety of settings. For example, while the air inlet and cleaner arrangement is described below as useful in situations where engine compartment space is limited, one or more features of the arrangement, such as the air inlet being a unitary weldment with an engine compartment panel and having an oblong cross-section, may be implemented in situations without the attendant space restrictions.

Thus, the disclosure provides an air inlet and cleaner arrangement in which the air cleaner may be disposed outside of the engine compartment, thereby providing space in the compartment for the engine and one or more emissions control or “aftertreatment” components without needing to expand it to an undesirably large size. Put another way, the arrangement may permit locating both the engine and aftertreatment components in the same engine compartment without compromising the air intake system. The air intake arrangement described herein also may permit the incorporation of a vertical exhaust stack, in combination with one or more aftertreatment components, while providing a direct ducting path between the aftertreatment components and the exhaust stack, reducing or eliminating a need to reroute exhaust ducting.

While the air cleaner itself may be located external to the engine compartment, air intake ducting may extend from an intake disposed on one of the engine compartment panels such as the ceiling panel, through the engine compartment, and through an opening disposed on another of the engine compartment panels, before coupling to the air cleaner.

The aftertreatment components may be positioned above the engine in the engine compartment and disposed laterally toward one of the side panels forming the compartment, thereby forming an interior void configured to receive the air intake ducting, the void running vertically between an opposite compartment side panel and one or more of the aftertreatment devices and the engine.

In certain configurations, the lateral width of the engine compartment may be a factor in determining an acceptable engine compartment size. Thus, the air intake ducting may have an oblong or ovalized cross-section at least in the area near an intersection with the top compartment panel. The ducting may be oriented such that its major axis may be essentially parallel to the engine compartment's adjacent upright side wall and, consequently, its minor axis may be essentially perpendicular to that side wall, i.e., in the lateral direction. An oblong or ovalized ducting oriented in this manner may have the same or larger cross-sectional area compared to a circular cross-sectioned duct fitting into the same lateral width of the interior void. Thus, the air intake arrangement also may permit uncompromised or even increased air input into the system.

In other configurations, the air intake may include a rigid duct segment external to an engine compartment panel, such as a top panel, and a rigid duct segment internal to the panel. These duct segments, in combination with the top panel and/or a bracket surrounding the internal ducting near the top panel, may form a single, unitary weldment. Additionally, the two duct segments may be portions of a single, unitary duct element that passes through a complementary opening in the engine compartment panel. Thus, the air intake arrangement may be viewed as a manner of forming a rigid air inlet, keeping air inlet ducting acceptably spaced away from the engine or aftertreatment devices. This arrangement also may provide for a tightly sealed air inlet, increasing the amount of air that makes it into the air filter.

In still other configurations, the air filter may be disposed in an auxiliary bay located external to the engine compartment. The auxiliary bay and engine compartment may share a wall, e.g., at least a part of one of the engine compartment panels also may serve as a side wall to the auxiliary bay. That panel may include an opening configured to receive air intake ducting passing from the interior void of the engine compartment to the auxiliary bay in order to operatively couple to the air filter.

In even further configurations, the auxiliary bay may double as a step to assist an operator in entering and exiting the vehicle cab. Thus, the air inlet and cleaner arrangement may be viewed as a way to incorporate a step into a vehicle or as a way to incorporate the elements of an engine, an air intake system, and aftermarket components into a vehicle already having a step. Additionally, a portion of the step surface may be hinged or otherwise removable, thereby providing an entrance into the auxiliary bay for accessing the air cleaner, which may facilitate maintenance or replacement of the air cleaner when needed.

As will become apparent from the discussion herein, the disclosed system and method may be used advantageously in a variety of settings and with a variety of machinery. In certain embodiments, referring now toFIG. 1, the disclosed system and method may be implemented with regard to a crawler dozer20, referred to herein for simplicity as a crawler. It will be understood, however, that the disclosed system and method may be used for various other vehicles or non-vehicle platforms, including various crawlers of different configurations or designs than the crawler ofFIG. 1.

The crawler20is presented in a partial perspective view inFIG. 1, with the front of the crawler20facing to the left. Accordingly, certain right-side components of the crawler20may not be visible inFIG. 1. The crawler20may include a chassis22supported on track assemblies24or wheels (not shown), with a cab26to house an operator. The chassis22may include a power head28for supporting various components, including an air filter or cleaning system30having an air inlet32, and as seen inFIGS. 2-3, an exhaust stack34and an air cleaner arrangement, an engine44, and an emissions control or aftertreatment device46.FIG. 1shows a power head28as being located proximate a front end of the chassis22, in front of the cab26, although it will be appreciated that the power head28may be located at other positions along the chassis22.

Turning now toFIG. 2, a partial perspective view of the power head28as seen from the opposite side of the crawler20as the view ofFIG. 1is shown. The power head28includes an engine cover or compartment36defined by a plurality of body panels38including a top panel or wall40and a plurality of side panels or side walls42. The panels38may be coupled to one another, e.g., with one or more fasteners, so that they can be separated. Alternatively, the panels38may be fixedly coupled together, e.g., using rivets or welds. In yet another alternative, the panels38may be a unitary construct formed by bending or otherwise deforming a single piece of material.

As best seen inFIG. 3, the engine compartment36may be configured to support and enclose an engine44and an aftertreatment device46. In one aspect, the aftertreatment device46may include a fluid tank48such as a diesel exhaust fluid tank and a filter50such as a diesel particulate filter. First aftertreatment ducting52may operatively couple the engine44to the filter50, second aftertreatment ducting54may operatively couple the filter50to the fluid tank48, and third aftertreatment ducting56may operative couple fluid tank48to the exhaust stack34, as best seen inFIG. 6. Other aftertreatment components may be employed, as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.

The engine compartment36also may be configured to include an interior space or void58receiving ducting60operatively coupling the air inlet32to an air cleaner and ducting62operatively coupling the air cleaner to the engine44. Significantly, however, the air cleaner may be disposed external to the engine compartment36, as described in greater detail below, such that at least a portion of ducting60and ducting62proximate the air cleaner may be located outside of the engine compartment36.

The aftertreatment device46may be sized and positioned above the engine44, between the engine44and the top panel40, and may occupy substantially all of the space in the engine compartment36between the engine44and the top panel40, thereby limiting available space for locating ducting60. Thus, as seen inFIG. 3, the interior space58may be positioned in a primary location extending along an upright side wall42of the engine compartment36.

The air inlet32and exhaust stack34may extend through respective openings in the top panel40, passing from the engine compartment36to the outside environment. The air inlet32may include a pre-cleaner63including an inlet pipe segment64in contact with the top panel40and a cap66operatively coupled to an upper end of the pipe segment64.

In one aspect, the pipe segment64may terminate at a lower end proximate an exterior side68of the top panel40. Ducting60then may terminate proximate an interior side70of the top panel, with the pipe segment64and ducting60being joined together to form an airflow path for intake air.

In another aspect, the pipe segment64may extend through an opening in the top panel40, such that a lower end of the pipe segment64may be disposed proximate an interior side70of the top panel. In this instance, the pipe segment64and ducting60again may be joined together to form an airflow path, although this juncture may be located within the engine compartment36instead of at a boundary of the compartment.

Also referring toFIGS. 9-11, the pipe segment64and ducting60may be operatively coupled indirectly via a transition bracket65. The transition bracket65may surround and encapsulate the adjacent open ends of the pipe segment64and ducting60. Joints between the transition bracket65, pipe segment64and ducting60may include continuous welds, thereby forming a substantially airtight seal and air path from the pipe segment64to ducting60. Those open ends may be differently sized and shaped from one another, e.g., the pipe segment64may be round while the ducting60may be oblong, such that the bracket65may permit a fluid transition from one to the other. In addition to being coupled to or part of the air inlet32, the transition bracket65may be coupled to the engine cover36, e.g., at top panel40, such as by welding or bolting. Assembly in this manner thus provides a weldment that includes at least part of the air inlet duct and at least part of the engine cover.

In yet another aspect, the pipe segment64and ducting60may be a single, unitary structure that passes through an opening72in the top panel40.

In any of these aspects, one or both of ducting60and the pipe segment64may be secured to top panel. Securement may be such that a tight, substantially airtight seal is formed for the air path and a solid connection to the top panel40is made. Securement also may be releasable or permanent, provided that these conditions are achieved. One or both of ducting60and the pipe segment64may be integral with the top panel40.

Thus, in one example, one, two, or all of ducting60, the pipe segment64, and the transition bracket65may be welded to each other if they are separate entities and to the top panel40whether they are separate or unitary. Alternatively, one, two, or all of ducting60, the pipe segment64, and the transition bracket65may be fastened to the top panel40, such as by bolting the elements together.

In still another example, such as if the pipe segment64extends through the top panel and if no transition bracket65is used, the pipe segment64may be secured to the top panel40such as by welding, and ducting60may be secured to the pipe segment64such as by clamping, which may include the use of a gasket between ducting60and the pipe segment64.

As seen inFIGS. 3 and 6, the filter50may overlap a lateral plane including the air pre-cleaner63, thereby preventing the ducting60from descending vertically from the inlet32through the interior space58. As such, ducting60disposed downwardly from the top panel40may be angled outward toward a side panel42when descending from the inlet32, defining an offset angle between the pipe segment64and ducting60.

Ducting60may be a rigid material such as steel, which may be easier than more pliant materials to retain in place within the interior space58, away from the aftertreatment device46and engine44. Rigid ducting60may extend from the top panel40, through the engine compartment36, to an outlet74in the side panel42.

Alternatively, and as seen inFIGS. 3, 5, and 9-10, ducting60may include a first, rigid section76extending from proximate an opening72to a distal end78and a second flexible section80, such as a flexible rubber hose, extending from the distal end78to or through the outlet74. The rigid section76and flexible section80may be coupled to one another, e.g., through the use of a releasable hose clamp82.

In order to accomplish deflection of ducting60around the aftertreatment device46, an oblong segment84of the rigid section76may be asymmetric about a reference axis A1along which it extends. In addition, the pipe segment64may extend about a second reference axis A2, where the first and second reference axes form an angle α with respect to one another, as best seen inFIG. 9. In addition, as seen inFIG. 11, the oblong segment84may be ovalized or have another curved profile when viewed in a cross-section taken perpendicular to the reference axis A1.

Despite being asymmetric about its reference axis A1, the oblong configuration of the oblong segment84may have a cross-section that is symmetric about at least one of a major axis A3and a minor axis A4, where the major and minor axes are perpendicular and intersect the reference axis.

In one example, the oblong segment84of the rigid section76may extend up to and potentially including a proximal end proximate the top panel40. The oblong segment84may be configured such that its major axis may be essentially parallel to at least one of the upright side walls, such as the side wall42, of the engine cover36, as best seen inFIG. 11.

The oblong segment84may be disposed between a substantially cylindrical portion of ducting having a circular cross-section, which may be coextensive with the inlet pipe segment64(although there may be a gap between the oblong segment84and inlet pipe segment64as discussed above and as shown inFIG. 9), and a flared segment86proximate and potentially including a distal end78of the rigid section76, which may define a flange79for mounting the flexible hose section80. Like the inlet pipe segment64, the distal end78may have a substantially circular cross-section, which may facilitate secure, tight connection with the flexible section80. The flared segment86may serve as a transition between the oblong segment84and the circular distal end78.

Thus, with regard to ducting60, the inlet pipe segment64may have a first circular cross-section, the oblong segment84may have a second cross-section that is non-circular and thus different from the first cross-section, the distal end78may have a third circular cross-section, such as at the flange79, different from the second cross-section, and the flared segment86may have a converging cross-section transitioning between the second and third cross-sections.

In another aspect, ducting60may include a flexible material such as a rubber tube instead of the rigid section76. In this aspect, ducting60may not be welded to the top panel40or the air pre-cleaner63but instead may be coupled securely, e.g., with fasteners, a hose clamp, or other coupling devices as would be appreciated by one of skill in the art. In order to retain ducting in position and provide sufficient clearance between the ducting60and the aftertreatment device46, a flexible ducting may operatively engage one or more supports extending inward from the top panel40or the side panel42.

Turning now toFIGS. 4-5, routing of ducting60through and outside of the engine compartment36is shown. In addition to deflecting laterally around the aftertreatment device46as seen inFIG. 3, these figures illustrate that the rigid section76may be angled rearwardly from the pre-cleaner63to the distal end78, also to avoid contact with the aftertreatment device46.

As seen in these figures, ducting60may extend through the outlet74in order to couple to the air filter30, disposed external to the engine compartment36in an auxiliary bay88. The auxiliary bay88may be defined at least in part by panels38, including the side panel42, and by a step panel90connected to the engine compartment36at the side panel42. The step panel90may define a step platform92for assisting a user in entering the cab26.

Turning toFIGS. 7-8, in order to access the auxiliary bay88, such as for accessing or replacing the air filter30, the step panel may include or attach to a bay cover94. The bay cover94may be movable between an open position and a closed position, such as by hinged attachment with the step panel90. When closed, the step panel90and bay cover94may combine to form the step platform92, as seen inFIG. 7. Conversely, when open, area normally occupied by the bay cover94may serve as an opening96into the auxiliary bay88, as seen inFIG. 8.

The step platform92also may include an open rear end98, thereby permitting passage of the air cleaner30and ducting62, such that the ducting62may have an unobstructed path to the engine44, as best seen inFIGS. 2 and 4.

In this manner, the air cleaner30may be disposed external to the engine compartment36, thereby eliminating a need to expand a size of the compartment to accommodate the air cleaner30. At the same time, the air intake ducting60may be routed from a vertically mounted and oriented pre-cleaner63through the protected environment of the engine compartment. In addition, the oblong configuration of a portion of the ducting internal to the engine compartment may permit the ducting to avoid physical interference with both the engine44and aftertreatment device46, and a welding attachment of the air intake ducting60to the engine compartment36may facilitate a strong, stable seal for intake air.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. For example, the terms “upper,” “lower,” and the like may be used with respect to the relative orientation of a particular embodiment, but may not be intended to limit the disclosure to that orientation nor embodiment. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that any use of the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising” in this specification specifies the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.