Abstract:
An integral assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a battery tray, a coolant reservoir and a vacuum reservoir. The battery tray and portions of the coolant reservoir and vacuum reservoir are formed as a single molded part having shared partition walls, so as to provide superior strength, economy, and packaging efficiency.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a combination structure for holding not only a storage battery of an automotive vehicle, but also for providing reservoirs for coolant and vacuum.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Designers of automotive vehicle componentry have attempted to combine storage battery trays with other utilities. U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,701 discloses a combination battery tray and vacuum reservoir. Unfortunately, the device of the &#39;701 patent does not represent an optimal use of space in the engine compartment because the vacuum reservoir is cantilevered from the battery tray and extends into the engine compartment of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,329 discloses a battery tray and reservoir assembly in which a vacuum reservoir is located behind a back wall of the battery tray. This severely restricts the volume of the vacuum chamber, presents an issue as to sealing the chamber itself because of the long length of the seal, and impairs the package efficiency of the assembly because the stacked placement of the vacuum reservoir increases the extent to which the assembly extends into the engine compartment.  
         [0003]     An integral battery tray, coolant reservoir and vacuum reservoir according to the present invention solves the problems associated with prior art devices while combining three separate items needed within an engine compartment of a vehicle, but with minimal expenditure of space, material, and complexity, including the number of parts incorporated in the assembly.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     An integral assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a battery tray, a coolant reservoir and a vacuum reservoir. A mounting plate attaches integral assembly to an engine compartment structure of the vehicle. The battery tray is formed integrally, preferably by injection molding, with a mounting plate and has sidewalls and a floor extending from the mounting plate such that the mounting plate functions as one wall of the battery tray. A coolant reservoir has a lower portion formed integrally with the mounting plate. This lower portion of the cooling reservoir is supported by the mounting plate and by one of the sidewalls of the battery tray. Finally, vacuum reservoir has an upper portion formed integrally with the floor of the battery tray, such that the vacuum reservoir is supported by the battery tray and the mounting plate. An upper portion of the coolant reservoir is attached to the lower portion of the reservoir, preferably by welding. Those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure that the upper portion of the coolant reservoir may be bonded to the lower portion by means of adhesive bonding, or by use of threaded fasteners, or by other methods known to those skilled in the art and suggested by this disclosure.  
         [0005]     The lower portion of the vacuum reservoir is attached to the upper portion of the reservoir, by bonding, welding, by discrete fasteners, or other means known to those skilled in the art and suggested by this disclosure.  
         [0006]     The present unit has excellent structural integrity which is buttressed by reinforcing ribs extending from the lower portion of the coolant reservoir to a battery tray sidewall supporting the coolant reservoir, as well as by reinforcing ribs extending from the coolant reservoir to the assembly&#39;s mounting plate. The mounting plate is itself strengthened by means of a number of reinforcing ribs which back the mounting plate.  
         [0007]     It is an advantage of an integral battery tray and reservoir assembly according to the present invention that minimal space is required within the otherwise crowded engine compartment of the vehicle to accommodate three separate utilities provided by this assembly.  
         [0008]     It is a further advantage of the present invention that the vertical integration of the battery tray and vacuum reservoir may be employed to utilize more fully the relatively greater vertical dimension of light truck and SUV engine compartments.  
         [0009]     It is a further advantage of a system according to the present invention that judicious use of reinforcing ribs allows the assembly to have excellent strength, even at the extremes of temperature found within vehicle engine compartments.  
         [0010]     Other advantages, as well as features and objects of the present invention, will become apparent to the reader of this specification. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle engine compartment, including present multi-function integral engine utility assembly.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a multi-function integral assembly according to the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2  but is a rear perspective view of a multi-function assembly according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , vehicle engine compartment  10  includes integral assembly  24 , which is attached at least in part to either fender apron  14 , or to another structure adjacent engine compartment  10 . Battery  20  is carried within integral assembly  24 , which also includes coolant reservoir  48  and vacuum reservoir  60  (not shown in  FIG. 1 ).  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows integral assembly  24  without battery  20  being mounted therein. Mounting plate  28  is adapted for attachment either to fender apron  14 , or to another structure such as a frame shotgun (not shown), which may include an assembly of hydroformed tubes. Mounting plate  28  is backed by a series of integral ribs,  32  ( FIG. 3 ). This gives mounting plate  28  sufficient strength to function as a sole mounting device for integral assembly  24 . This renders the task of mounting integral assembly an easier task than would otherwise be the case were other mounting points required.  
         [0016]     Battery tray  36  includes floor  44  which extends from mounting plate  28 , and sidewalls  40  which demarcate the fore and aft ends of floor  44 . Note herein that because floor  44  extends from mounting plate  28 , the mounting plate functions as one wall of battery tray  36 .  
         [0017]     Coolant reservoir  48  includes lower portion  50  which is formed integrally with mounting plate  28  and adjacent sidewall  40   b . Lower portion  50  is therefore supported by adjacent sidewall  40   b  and by mounting plate  28 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a series of ribs,  58 , extend between lower reservoir  50  and adjoining sidewall  40   b . A second series of ribs,  59 , extend between lower reservoir  50  and mounting plate  28 . These ribs serve to greatly stiffen the mounting of lower coolant reservoir  50  to the balance of the integral assembly.  
         [0018]     Coolant reservoir  48  also includes upper portion  54 , which, as noted above, may be either welded, or otherwise bonded, or attached by other types of fastening to lower portion  50  of coolant reservoir  48 . The lower portion  50  of coolant reservoir  48  also includes outlet  52 , whereas the upper portion  54  of reservoir  48  includes two outlets or connectors  56 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate in view of this disclosure that the number, location and size of the connectors  52  and  56  is committed to the discretion of one choosing to employ a system according to the present invention.  
         [0019]     Vacuum reservoir  60 , which is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , has an upper portion  64  ( FIG. 3 ), which is formed integrally with floor  44  of battery tray  36 . Note that the upper portion  64  of reservoir  60 , and indeed, the entirety of reservoir  60 , including lower portion  66 , are entirely overlaid by floor  44 . Thus, vacuum reservoir  60  requires no additional space when determining the plan view space requirements of equipment within an engine compartment  10 .  
         [0020]     Lower portion  66  of vacuum reservoir  60  has vacuum line  62  attached thereto, which is plumbed to the vacuum system of the vehicle (not shown).  
         [0021]     The present integral assembly is preferably molded from polypropylene, and more preferably, glass-filled polypropylene, having glass filling in the range of 25 to 35 percent. Glass-filled polypropylene has been found to provide the necessary strength for the present device, particularly when employed in engine compartments subject to both high and low ambient temperatures.  
         [0022]     While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations and alternate embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only in terms of the appended claims.