Abstract:
A vehicle that has a propulsion system operable for propelling the vehicle. The propulsion system includes a heat dissipating component that generates heat when the propulsion system is operated. An air cooling system is configured for flowing air across the heat dissipating component to extract heat therefrom and has an intake portion that can include a snorkel. The snorkel has an elongated channel open to the atmosphere at a snorkel intake for drawing in cooling air and is associated with the heat dissipating member to deliver cooling air thereto at a location that is preferably lower than the intake. Also, intake and exhaust plenums can be provided on upstream and downstream sides of the heat dissipating components, respectively, to control and direct the flow of air.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/813,362, filed on Jun. 14, 2006, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to an air-cooling system for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a vehicle with an air-cooling system configured for flying air across a heat-dissipating component of a propulsion system.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Vehicles are known to use air cooling or in which a component of the cooling relies on air flow. In some vehicles, fans are provided in front or behind a radiator, such as in a liquid cooled engine. Some electric scooters, for example, have vented battery compartments, some which have a fan to exhaust the vented air.  
         [0004]     A vehicle cooling system is needed which can provide improved air cooling of a heat generating component, such as of a power source of a vehicle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention relates to a vehicle with an improved air cooling system. A preferred embodiment of the vehicle includes a propulsion system that is operable for propelling the vehicle. The propulsion system has a heat dissipating component that generates heat when the propulsion system is operated. An air cooling system of the vehicle is configured for flowing air across the heat dissipating component to extract heat therefrom. The air cooling system has an intake portion that includes a snorkel with an elongated snorkel channel that is open to the atmosphere at a snorkel intake for drawing in cooling air. The snorkel channel is associated with the heat dissipating member for delivering the cooling air thereto at a location that is preferably located lower than the intake. This arrangement allows the cooling air to be fed into or near the bottom of the heat generating component, while the intake is kept high, such as out of road debris that may be kicked up by a tire, dust, or water.  
         [0006]     The heat dissipating component can be a vehicle battery, and preferably a plurality of batteries. The cooling system can be configured for flowing the cooling air in parallel across various batteries, such as through cooling air passages that are defined through the batteries to direct the cooling air thereacross. The snorkel is preferably configured to direct the cooling air to a bottom side of the batteries or in general to a lower side thereof in common with the air passages oriented to direct air upwards from the batteries, although in alternative embodiments, the cooling air can be directed to a different part of the batteries and made to flow in a different direction. A plenum is used in the preferred embodiment, which is disposed downstream of the heat generating component from the snorkel. The plenum is preferably configured to receive the cooling air from the heat generating component and for exhausting the cooling air to the atmosphere. The exhaust plenum can define separate exhaust channels for air entering from different locations on the heat generating component, such as from separate heat generating components, for example, from different groups of batteries. One or more air movers, such as fans or blowers, are associated with the plenum for moving the cooling air through the plenum and the exhaust channels, and preferably separate air movers are associated with each channel for moving the cooling air therethrough.  
         [0007]     The preferred plenum is provided as a frame portion of the vehicle body, and the plenum and another frame portion cooperatively define an interior cavity in which the heat generating component is housed. The plenum preferably has sufficient strength and stiffness to significantly increase the stiffness of the vehicle body, and preferably sufficient strength for supporting a vehicle seat on which a rider is to be seated, such as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/697,871. In one embodiment, a plurality of air movers are provided within the plenum or along another part of the path of the cooling air through the vehicle body. One of the air movers can be disposed ahead of the other, and in a scooter, for example, in which a step-through is to be provided, the various air movers can be disposed behind the forward most of the heat generating components.  
         [0008]     The plenum can define a ramp that separates forward and rear, or upper and lower, exhaust channels from each other, such as with one exhaust channel extending forward of and above the other at the location of the ramp. These exhaust channels preferably lead to the air movers, but can alternatively lead from the air movers. In other locations, or alternatively, the exhaust channels can be offset laterally with respect to each other. The preferred plenum has a rear portion, which can house the air movers, for example, and a forward portion that is disposed lower than the rear portion, which allows a step through to be provided above the lower front portion.  
         [0009]     The snorkel can include first and second snorkels, such as with the intake openings disposed on an upper side of a wheel space that is configured for placement of a vehicle wheel, such as a front wheel. The preferred vehicle has handle bars that are in steering association with a steerable front wheel for steering the vehicle. Also, in the preferred embodiment, some or all of the exhaust cooling-air can be redirected over a heat sink, such as for a power source controller, to provide increased cooling over the heat sink.  
         [0010]     Consequently, an improved cooling system is provided, which is especially useful for cooling batteries that provide motive energy for an electric-vehicle propulsion-system. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a scooter constructed according to the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a scooter frame, shown semi-transparently to show the components housed internally within the frame;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a cut-away side view of the frame;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the plenum thereof; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an intake plate with snorkel connectors. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0016]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of a vehicle constructed according to the invention is a scooter  100 , which includes a frame  10  on which a plurality of components are mounted. These components include fairings  102 , that cover the structural components of the underlying frame  10 . Seat  104  is mounted on the frame  10 , and is preferably directly mounted to and supported by an upper portion of the frame, which in this embodiment is preferably an exhaust plenum  44 . A swing-arm  106  is pivotably connected to the frame  10 , and shocks between the swing-arm  106  and frame  10  are absorbed by shock absorber/spring  108 . A propulsion system is provided that includes a motor or an engine, and the preferred embodiment includes a motor  110 , which can be housed in the swing-arm  106  or elsewhere on the vehicle. The propulsion system also includes batteries  20 , which are housed within a closed interior cavity of the frame, which cavity is preferably defined cooperatively between upper and lower frame portions. The upper portion of the frame  10 , which in the preferred embodiment is plenum  44 , can be removed from the lower frame portion to open the interior space and provide access to the batteries, such as for removing the batteries therefrom.  
         [0017]     At a front end of the frame, a steering tube  110  is preferably received within a head tube  14  for rotation to steer front wheel  112 . In alternative embodiments, other steering arrangements can be employed. The preferred embodiment is a land or road vehicle, having two wheels, three wheels, or more. In one embodiment, the vehicle is driven by a component other than wheels.  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , vehicle frame  10  includes a framework of welded elongated struts  12 , and is preferably constructed as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/697,871. The struts are preferably configured to provide a lower frame portion. The lower frame portion preferably includes the head tube  14 , configured for rotatably receiving steering tube  110 , which preferably has a wheel fork  112 , and which is steered by handle bars  114 , on which a twist throttle  116  can be mounted. The openings on the outside of the lower frame portion are sealed by skins  16 , preferably structural skins that are welded or bolted to the struts  12 . The lower frame portion defines a lower side of an interior cavity  18  within the framework that is configured to house a portion of a propulsion system, which preferably includes batteries  20 , or another energy storage component, such as capacitors. Footrest supports  22  are welded, or otherwise mounted or fixed to the lower frame portion, preferably to the struts  12 . While the skins  16  are preferably secured to the struts  12  to stiffen the lower frame portion, particularly in longitudinal torsion about a longitudinal axis extending from front to back of the vehicle, alternative embodiments can have other skins that close, and preferably seal, the sides of the interior cavity  18 , but which can be non-structural.  
         [0019]     A bottom tray portion  24  closes off a bottom side of the bottom frame portion, and is configured for supporting the batteries  20 . An internal battery tray  26  is spaced from the external tray  24  to provide an intake air plenum  28  therebetween to allow air to flow underneath the batteries  20 .  
         [0020]     At the front of the lower frame portion, frame skin  16  preferably closes off an upper portion of the front side of the interior cavity  18 . On a bottom portion of the front side is preferably a front plate  30 , shown in detail in  FIG. 5 , which includes one or more intake conduits connectors  32 . Connectors  32  define an open channel  34  therein, which is connected to the intake air plenum  28  to feed cooling air thereto. In the preferred embodiment, two intake connectors  32  are provided, which are placed on lateral left and right sides of the front plate  30 .  FIG. 3  shows an example of an alternate position for the intake connectors  39 , which are shown in phantom lines, and are placed on the lateral sidewalls of the exterior battery tray  24 .  
         [0021]     Snorkels  36  are connected to the connectors  32 , and define an elongated, interior snorkel-channel that is open to the atmosphere at snorkel intakes  38 . The intakes  38  are preferably oriented in alignment with the local airflow to take advantage of ram air pressure when the vehicle is moving in a forward direction, although other orientations can be used. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the intakes  38  can be disposed in the wheel space  118  for the front, steerable wheel  112 , preferably above mud guard  120  to receive clean air, with the mud guard deflecting any road debris or dust. The intakes  38  are also preferably concealed from view by a head faring  122 , being disposed therebeneath The snorkels  36  draw in cooling air  78  from the atmosphere and direct the air  78  into the intake plenum  28 . The snorkels  36  can be made of a rigid material, and in the embodiment shown are made of flexible tubing which is attached to the connectors  32  and to the lower frame portion, such as by clamps or wraps  40 . The snorkels  36  preferably extend adjacent the front tire of the vehicle, and are preferably disposed to permit the front tire to rotate left and right without interfering with the snorkels. Similarly, the connectors  32  have angled surfaces  42  to enable the tire to be turned without bumping up against the connectors  32 . In alternative embodiments, the connectors have other shapes, but are disposed far enough back, vertically, and/or to the lateral sides to avoid interference with the tire in any steering position.  
         [0022]     The batteries  20  are arranged with cooling channels  42  that are open to the intake plenum  28 . The cooling channels  42  preferably extend in a generally vertical direction and are open and top and bottom ends of the batteries  20 . In one embodiment, the batteries themselves are configured with channels  42 , and in another embodiment the batteries  20  include a plurality of batteries, preferably arranged in groups such as stacks and arranged with respect to each other such that air passages  42  extend therebetween or therethrough.  
         [0023]     The plenum  44  is preferably made of a material and a configuration selected to provide sufficient strength and rigidity to substantially increase the stiffness of the lower frame portion, especially the torsional stiffness thereof, and to prevent the horizontally extending struts  12  at the top of the lower frame portion from buckling, since these upper horizontal struts  12  are in compression when the vehicle is supported on front and rear wheels.  
         [0024]     The preferred plenum is bolted with bolts  46  or other fasteners to couple the plenum with the lower frame portion. A forward portion  48  of the plenum is disposed at a lower height that a rear portion  50  of the plenum to provide a step-through, such as in the case that the vehicle is a scooter. In a motorcycle or other vehicle embodiment, the forward portion of the plenum can be as high or higher than the rear portion  50 .  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , preferably in the rear portion  50 , one or more blowers, fans  52 , 54 , or other device to move the cooling air through the plenum are housed. Baffling  56  is preferably provided to capture the air  78  separately from forward and rear batteries  20  to direct the air from the forward batteries to the forward fan  52  and the air  78  from the rear batteries to the rear fan  54 . Exit baffling  58  can also be provided to maintain separate the air flowing from each fan  52 , 54  and to direct the air towards an exit  60 , which is preferably open to the atmosphere. The preferred fans are centrifugal fans that have an intake  62  on a bottom side thereof, and a tangential exit  64 , which is aligned with the baffling. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the forward batteries are preferably disposed partially or entirely forward of the forward fan  52 .  
         [0026]     As seen in  FIG. 3 , the upstream side of the plenum baffling includes a substantially vertical wall  66 , which leads to an inclined wall, for example forming a ramp  68 , to define a first plenum portion  70 . The first plenum portion leads the cooling air from the forward batteries  20  to the forward fan  52 . This baffling portion separates the forward plenum portion  70  from the rear plenum portion  72 , which thus preferably operates as a separate plenum. In an alternative embodiment, a common plenum can be employed for additional portions of the batteries or all of the batteries. On the exit side of the plenum, downstream from the fans  52 , 54 , plenum channels are defined by additional baffling  72 , which is configured to provide separate exit channels for air  78  coming from the forward fan  52  and the rear fan  54 . In the preferred embodiment, the baffling  72  in the plenum  44  is integrally and unitarily formed with the rest of the plenum, but alternative forms of baffling can be used, and the channels, both upstream and downstream of the fans  52 , 54  are separated only by the baffles, which form walls between the adjacent channels.  
         [0027]     Seals  74  are preferably used to seal the exit area of the plenum from the intake area of the plenum  44 . The fans  52 , 54  and the exhaust channels downstream from the fans  52 , 54 , preferably direct the cooling air generally horizontally or substantially parallel to the seat  104 . The exit area of the plenum is configured to provide the two exit channels laterally displaced with respect to each other, i.e., one to the left and one to the right, and the exit channel from the fan  52  is configured to extend laterally and/or vertically around the side of the space occupied by fan  54 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the plenum exit opening  60  is preferably angled downwards, although other orientations can be used. In the preferred embodiment the exit air is aimed and blown over heat sinks  76  of another heat generating component, such as a controller that controls the power to the motor  110 .  
         [0028]     With reference to  FIG. 3 , cooling air  78  is drawn into snorkels  36  and is directed to the intake plenum  28 . From here, the cooling air  78  is drawn in parallel upwards across the batteries, preferably by passing through cooling channels  42 , into the intake portions  70  and  72  of the plenum  44 , Fans  52 , 54 , which are drawing the air through the intake side of the system, then blow the air through the exit portion of the plenum and out the exit  60 , at which point the cooling air can further be used to increase the air flow and increase cooling over heat sink  76 , which can comprise a plurality of cooling fins and is preferably located at a back wall of the frame. To assist the proper pathway that the cooling air  78  follows in the intake plenum, a seal  80 , shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 2 , can be used to seal the intake plenum to the batteries. Additionally, or alternatively, an exhaust plenum seal can be provided to seal the upper plenum to the batteries, such as at dashed line  82 , to prevent or reduce cooling air spillage around the batteries or around another area that is desired to be cooled. The cooling air preferably flows along two parallel paths from where it comes into contact with the batteries  20  until it reaches the fans  52 , 54 , and also preferably downstream of the fans  52 , 54 .  
         [0029]     Suitable propulsion systems for electric and hybrid embodiments of the inventive vehicle are disclosed in the copending application filed on Jun. 14, 2006, entitled, “Vehicle With Contactless Throttle Control”. The entire contents of said copending application and of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/697,871 are hereby incorporated herein by reference thereto.  
         [0030]     While illustrative embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art. Features of the embodiments described herein, can be combined, separated, interchanged, and/or rearranged to generate other embodiments. Therefore, it will be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments that come within the spirit and scope of the present invention.